


Family Portraits

by Happy45



Series: Family Portraits [1]
Category: Chicago Fire
Genre: Childhood, F/M, Family Dynamics, Family Fluff, Love, Married Life, Parenthood
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:28:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 88
Words: 232,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23593087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Happy45/pseuds/Happy45
Summary: "But the moment I knew that I loved her - I was dancing with her at a wedding and she said to me that if you find someone who makes love feel as easy as breathing then you've hit the jackpot. And as I held her, it felt like the easiest thing in the world. I knew I'd found the person I was meant to love until my last breath."Follow Brett and Casey's life together through a series of family and love orientated one-shots.
Relationships: Sylvie Brett/Matthew Casey
Series: Family Portraits [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2149929
Comments: 1031
Kudos: 767





	1. Index

**Author's Note:**

> A series of one-shots based around the idea of Brett and Casey having a family.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, I love things being organised and in the correct order and while I wouldn't want to write this story any other way, sometimes I hate that it isn't in chronological order. Must be the historian in me! 
> 
> Sometimes I'm looking for a specific chapter but I can't remember the name or I want to see how many chapters I've written about a particular part of their life and where some gaps in the overall story are. So I complied a little chronological index of all the chapters I've written so far and put them into categories and wrote a little description of the chapter. I will continue to add to this as I go. 
> 
> This may not be something that interests you, but I thought it would be a cool thing to share with you guys in case you want to read some one shots, but are specifically looking for ones on the twinnies as babies or Brett and Casey before kids or whatever!
> 
> Something to note:
> 
> Some chapters have numbers in brackets beside them. That is because the chapter jumps through time, so different parts of it belong in different categories and appear more than once.
> 
> Happy reading!

** INDEX **

**Pre dating **

**12\. Courageous Companions (1)** \- Sylvie and Matt's first meeting.

**Dating**

**2\. Easy -** Sylvie and Matt finally get together after an intimate moment at Cruz' wedding.

 **25\. To My Last Breath** \- Sylvie and Matt spend the day in bed together asking some important questions about life and love.

 **49\. Bursting the Bubble -** 51 find out about Sylvie and Matt's relationship.

 **41\. Lean on Me -** Sylvie leans on Matt after a bad call.

 **28\. Eyes are Windows to the Soul -** Martha and Peter Sylvie arrive in Chicago and Matt surprises Sylvie with an idea for their future.

 **80\. Saving Grace** \- As Matt and Sylvie settle into their new apartment, Sylvie faces a dangerous call at work (based on 9x01/9x02)

 **35\. Nancy (1) -** Nancy Casey interrupts Sylvie and Matt's morning together.

 **73\. Compromise** \- Sylvie and Matt experience some teething problems when they move in together.

 **50\. A Fowlerton Christmas** \- Sylvie brings Matt to spend Christmas with her family in Fowlerton.

 **42\. Little Things (1)** \- 51 complain that Sylvie never finishes her drinks, but Matt knows otherwise.

 **84\. Formalities and Jealousy** \- Sylvie and Matt deal with some unwelcomed jealousies (based on 9x04).

 **87\. The Most Beautiful Thing** \- Stella and Sylvie get a little tipsy, Matt has a professional problem with Gallo and Matt and Sylvie learn and important lesson from Stella and Severide (based on 906).

 **88\. To Be Enough -** Cruz has some news, Matt's feeling broody and Sylvie makes a confession about her past relationships (based on 907).

** Engaged **

**11\. How do I Love Thee? -** Sylvie is injured on a call and Matt has an important question to ask.

 **83\. The Nightmare** \- Following a nightmare, Matt internalises his fears rather than confront his demons.

 **64\. Bachelor(ette)** \- Kidd and Severide throw Brett and Casey bachelor and bachelorette parties.

** Married **

**12\. Courageous Companions (2) -** Sylvie and Matt get married.

 **72\. Nice Couple, Nice Family (1)** \- Severide and Stella share some words at Matt and Sylvie's wedding, while Sylvie meets a little girl who has a few words of her own to share.

 **71\. Quiet in the Chaos (1)** \- Sylvie and Matt try to find some alone time.

 **59\. The Balance We Crave** \- Sylvie makes a huge decision and leaves Matt out of it.

 **60\. Never Let it Go** \- Sylvie and Matt meet Sylvie's birth father Will.

** Twins Pregnancy  **

**4\. I See Home -** Matt has some news for Sylvie after she hastily discards an assumed negative pregnancy test.

 **61\. Naturals -** Sylvie and Matt try to keep Sylvie's pregnancy a secret.

 **74\. The Chaos in the Care (1)** \- Three drabbles of the Caseys looking after each other. 

**78\. Crazy Christmas Cravings** \- While dealing with her pregnancy hormones, Sylvie and Matt travel to Fowlerton for Christmas as they prepare to tell Sylvie's parents about the pregnancy.

 **24\. Cravings -** Sylvie's hormones run wild as she craves something more than food.

 **34\. Kicking -** The twins start kicking but Matt keeps missing it.

 **42\. Little Things (2)** \- Sylvie can't sleep without Matt beside her.

 **82\. The Nursery -** Sylvie heads for a spa weekend with Emily and Stella while Matt completes a project at home.

 **66\. Ringer -** Matt has a rough call and is reminded of an offer Sylvie made a while ago.

 **3\. Hot Summer’s Day** \- Sylvie is frustrated with being pregnant and takes out her anger on 51.

 **53\. Isn't He Lovely?** \- Sylvie gives birth.

** Twins ages 1-4 **

**70\. Family Shows Up -** Sylvie and Matt can't get their boys to sleep so they take them on a trip to Molly's.

 **65\. Parental Guilt** \- Sylvie feels guilty about leaving her boys at home to go back to work.

 **42\. Little Things (3)** \- Sylvie sings Elliot to sleep and Matt falls in love with her that little bit more.

 **47\. Tom -** Sylvie's brother Tom makes a surprise visit to Chicago.

 **76\. Walkers (flashback)** \- Matt and Sylvie reminisce about the first time Elliot started walking.

 **16\. Grocery Stores and Wooden Barns -** Sylvie and Matt take the twins to visit her parents in Fowlerton and have a few unexpected and unwelcomed runs ins at the grocery store.

 **55\. Gerbera Daisies** \- Sylvie and Matt celebrate their third wedding anniversary and a victim gets flirty with Sylvie (based on 4x08)

 **14\. Risk Takers -** Sylvie and Matt tend to an accident involving Elliot at a local park.

 **74\. The Chaos in the Care (2)** \- Three drabbles of the Caseys looking after each other.

 **26\. The Game Plan -** Matt tries to make sure Jack and Elliot make it down the aisle sensibly at Stella and Severide's wedding.

 **52\. Full Circle Moments -** Sylvie and Matt enjoy a rare night out and have an unexpected run in at Molly's.

** Annie Pregnancy **

**69\. Homecoming -** Matt meets a lady at the airport and she gives him a beautiful perspective on love.

 **7\. Secrets** \- Matt is convinced Sylvie is keeping something from him and enlists the help of Severide to find out what.

 **27\. Cute Captain -** Sylvie gets jealous when her replacement paramedic sets her sights on Matt.

 **22\. What We Deserve** \- Matt secretly meets with Gabby after 7 years apart.

 **5\. Inquisitive Minds -** Elliot and Jack wonder where babies come from.

 **38\. Sweepstake -** 51 places bets on the latest addition to the Casey clan.

 **8\. Thunderstorm -** Sylvie goes into labour in the middle of a storm.

** Little Kids **

**6\. Daring Spirits -** Jack gets into trouble on a school trip to the firehouse.

 **19\. Clowns -** Sylvie tries to confront her fear of clowns at the CFD BBQ.

 **29\. Louie -** Matt unexpectedly meets Louie at the scene of a fire.

 **37\. Alternative Reality -** Sylvie runs into Gabby and her new family.

 **56\. Love in a Photograph** \- Jack worries about Matt and the dangers of his job.

 **13\. First Words -** Matt tries to get Annie to say her first words.

 **Little Monkeys (separate one shot) -** Sylvie hates Halloween and she certainly doesn't want her kids getting caught up in the craziness of it.

 **45\. Crazy Town -** Stella and Severide have some important news to share with Sylvie and Matt as the struggle to keep the kids calm.

 **76\. Walkers -** As Annie get close to walking, Matt and Sylvie reminisce about the first time Elliot started walking.

 **81\. Girl Dads** \- Severide calls upon Matt when he can't get baby Lizzie to stop crying.

 **51\. Traditions Old and New -** A crazy Casey Christmas.

 **35\. Nancy (2) -** Nancy Casey makes an impromptu visit just before bedtime.

 **86\. Chief** \- Sylvie helps Matt navigate a big life decision.

 **31\. When Mom’s Away… -** The Casey kids cause some mischief Matt and Severide look after the kids while Sylvie enjoys a girl's night.

 **40\. Sunday -** Tuesday has puppies!

 **48\. You Can Let go (1) -** Matt struggles with not being the guest of honour at Annie's tea parties anymore.

 **71\. Quiet in the Chaos (2)** \- Sylvie and Matt try to find some alone time.

 **75\. The Brave Firefighter and the Warrior Paramedic** \- Gallo tells the Casey kids an epic story about a brave firefighter and a warrior paramedic.

 **15\. Memories -** The Casey kids cause some mischief in the middle of the night and Matt is seriously injured on a call.

 **36\. A Letter of Love -** Sylvie worries about not being around while her kids are growing up.

 **9\. Siblings -** Matt deals with a difficult call while Sylvie questions how to be a good sister to Amelia.

 **48\. You Can Let Go (2) -** Sylvie and Matt teach Annie how to ride a bike.

 **72\. Nice Couple, Nice People (2)** \- Sylvie and Matt take their kids to their wedding venue on their ten year anniversary.

 **43\. Bravery in the Veins -** Sylvie is seriously injured on a call.

 **74\. Chaos in the Care (3)** \- Three drabbles of the Caseys looking after each other.

 **54\. Kickball and Pink Tutus** \- Annie makes a fashion statement, Sylvie loses her cool and Jack and Elliot engage in a competitive game of kickball.

 **67\. Get it Right** \- Matt's niece Violet visits the Caseys and has a favour to ask.

 **33\. Fight Club -** Elliot gets into a fight at school when a dark Casey secret is brought to light.

 **63\. Life to the Full (1)** \- Annie is involved in an accident and Sylvie and Matt struggle with not being able to always protect her.

 **35\. Nancy (3) -** Nancy makes a surprise visit for Elliot and Jack's 10th birthday.

** Teenagers-Early Adult **

**20\. Chilli -** Annie appears as a guest judge for the annual chilli cook off.

 **10\. Tummy Bugs -** the Casey kids are struck down with a tummy bug.

 **85\. Like Mother Like Daughter (1)** \- Sylvie introduces Annie to the benefits of smash therapy.

 **77\. How Love Should Be -** Jack, Elliot and Annie get into trouble and Elliot seeks some advice from Matt.

 **71\. Quiet in the Chaos (3)** \- Sylvie and Matt try to find some alone time.

 **30\. Screwing with Dreams -** Jack is involved in a serious car accident.

 **44\. Anywhere in the World -** Sylvie and Matt convince their kids to go on an 'anywhere in the world adventure' and Elliot worries about the future.

 **21\. First Heartbreak -** Annie experiences her first heartbreak.

 **85\. Like Mother Like Daughter (2)** \- Annie comes home drunk after seeing Austin for the first time since their breakup.

 **23\. Knowing Your Worth -** Matt struggles with Annie's new dating life, while Annie butts heads with Robbie Halstead.

 **17\. Genetics -** The Caseys help victims of a car accident during a storm.

 **32\. The Life’s Too Short Column -** Matt and Annie have an explosive fight just before Annie is involved in an explosion at school.

 **39\. Prom** \- Annie panics about prom due to an accidental black eye.

 **48\. You Can Let Go (3)** \- Matt and Sylvie leave Annie at college.

 **57\. 25 Years** \- Sylvie discovers something unsettling about her marriage.

** Adults **

**58\. A Whole Other World -** Jack and Elliot try some dangerous heroics and the Casey kids meet someone they never expected to meet.

 **79\. Lofty Ideals** \- Jack has a crisis of conscience following an encounter with someone from his past.

 **18\. Family First** \- Annie, Jack and Elliot bicker when Matt is brought into the ER.

 **62\. Retirement Letters** \- Matt prepares to retire and Annie struggles in her life life, before remembering some important lessons from her parents on love.

 **46\. The Extra Mile** \- Annie, Jack and Elliot tend to a sink hole in the city.

 **68\. First Loves -** Annie wonders what it is about first loves that never really leave you and Matt has some words of wisdom as he's reminded of Hallie.

 **63\. Life to the Full (2)** \- Annie recounts to a patient why she became a doctor.

 **48\. You can Let Go (4)** \- Matt walks Annie up the aisle.

 **85\. Like Mother Like Daughter (3)** \- Sylvie gives Annie some advice when she worries about becoming a mom.


	2. Easy

**Easy **

She didn't understand. How could she understand? She couldn't read minds – but she sincerely wished she could right about now. That would make this whole situation a lot easier.

It was all going so well. They were friends. The best of friends. It was rare that she trusted someone as much as she trusted him. He was just so warm and compassionate and _good_. Not to mention the way he made her feel when he looked at her. My _god_ it just made her _melt_. It was like she was the only person in the world that mattered to him. She'd even started to believe that that might be true. Matt Casey made her feel like none of her problems were insurmountable when she was with him. He caused her to develop nervous ticks when she was around him. She would play with her watch, constantly twisting it around her wrist. She would push her hair behind her ear. She would just get so _awkward_. But now she was wondering whether it had all been in her head. Maybe all he wanted was a friend and she was just that – a good friend through some difficult times.

Something happened at Cruz and Chloe's wedding. She wasn't sure what it was exactly. She'd been trying to work it out for the past week. Something in him just clicked and she had her suspicions what caused it – but she didn't know why it triggered him.

The ceremony had been so beautiful and romantic and full of love – and she could feel Casey's eyes on her the whole time as she stood at the front beside Chloe, acting as he bridesmaid. He'd been staring at her all day. Then he sat beside her at the reception and they talked and they laughed about anything and everything. She laughed at the thought of her almost doing this whole wedding thing twice. Matt laughed that he never had the big white wedding experience and that was what probably doomed his marriage. That he somehow didn't do it right. She thought it was nice (and a little twisted) that they could joke about it now.

Just after the speeches, she said something quietly to Matt. She said something that appeared to change everything. As soon as she said it he became withdrawn and broody. He didn't appear to be in any mood to laugh.

_"Love is a strange thing."_ She said as Matt eyed her curiously, waiting for her to continue. " _It should be mad and extraordinary and passionate… but it should never be hard. Yes, you may go through some difficult things, but if it ever makes you think love is hard then it's not right. If you can find someone who makes love feel as easy as breathing – then I reckon that's when you'll feel most complete."_ She'd let out a little laugh as she continued to contemplate what love meant to her – and she could still feel Matt's eyes piercing through the side of her face as she smiled in the direction of the bride and groom dancing. _"It's not something that comes along very often and it can seem like the scariest thing in the world – but no one ever falls in love without being a little brave."_

He hadn't replied to what she said. In her peripheral vision she saw him gulp and turn his gaze away from her. After a few moments of silence, he stood up and held out his hand.

_"Dance with me?"_ he asked quietly as she nodded and placed her hand in his, allowing him to delicately pull her to the dance floor.

They got to the floor and Matt delicately spun her under his arm with a little smirk before pulling him close to him. Her hand slipped around his shoulder as his delicately fell upon the arch of her back, her right hand securely locked in his as her head slipped beside his, her curled hair tickling his cheek.

All time seemed to slow in that moment. She completely forgot they were in a room full of people. It felt like it was just the two of them and that was all that mattered. Now, he wasn't even looking at her or saying anything and he was making her feel that way. It felt… _easy_.

_Wise men say only fools rush in_   
_But I can't help falling in love with you_   
_Shall I stay? Would it be a sin?_   
_If I can't help falling in love you_   
_Like a river flows, surely to the sea_   
_Darling so it goes_   
_Some things are meant to be_   
_Take my hand take my whole life too_   
_For I can't help falling in love with you_

The song came to a stop and so did they – but they held on to one another. She didn't want to let go. She knew a part of her would just feel empty not being in his arms. She closed her eyes, hoping this moment could last forever – but then she felt him slip away from her. He held on to her hand until the last possible second before she was left standing there – _alone_.

She felt her heart break a little as she stood for a moment. She pulled herself together before turning around and locking eyes with Foster, Kidd and Severide, who were all staring at her with hopeful eyes, but also sad eyes. It was like they were hopeful that things were finally falling into place for their friends, but sad that it had disappeared in a blink as Matt left her standing there.

A week had passed since that moment. A week and they'd barely said one word to each other. Any time she tried he just walked away from her and gave her blunt answers. They only thing that he could talk to her about for an extended period of time was work and even that appeared hard for him. He couldn't even look her in the eye. She wasn't going to say anything. She didn't want to make whatever was going on between them worse… but then she realised she couldn't do this anymore. She just couldn't.

As everyone in the firehouse ate their dinner, she made her way round to his quarters, trying her best to keep her composure but knowing that she would probably crumble as soon as she opened her mouth.

She stood in his doorway, twisting her watch as always. She was about to deliver a strong and wilful speech – but as soon as he turned his head from his desk to look at her she crumbled. She dropped her wrist and she felt the tears form in her eyes and she just spoke from the heart.

"I can't do this anymore" she said in a whisper as Matt frowned, not knowing what she was talking about. "I can't keep sitting here wondering. I can't keep wondering if it's all in my head. I can't keep wondering if it's worth it. I can't keep wondering if I put myself out there and then Gabby comes back and I'm left shattered because you'll never love me like you love her, I can't keep wondering if you could even love me at all—"

"Sylvie—" Matt began as he stood from his chair and stepped towards her to stop her from rambling, but she immediately stepped back.

"Something freaked you out at the wedding. Over the past few months, I have learnt to read you like a map Matt Casey so don't pretend like that's not true." She warned sternly as Matt closed his mouth and put his hands in his pockets, deciding that it was probably just best to let her finish. "Something bothered you and I just – I can't do it. I can't pretend that we're just friends because I hopelessly in love with you" She said as she felt the tears starting to trickle down her face; "… and it's hurting me."

Everything before the past week had been easy. It almost seemed too good to be true and now she was right. Now she was feeling that hurt that made her doubt love was even possible at all.

She stared at him for a moment as he said nothing. He just looked at a loss for words. He looked emotional, he looked conflicted. He looked like he wanted to say something but just didn't know _what_.

"Will you say something? _Please?"_ she begged. "Just say something, _anything!_ I am sick of this silence!" she exclaimed in an uncharacteristic moment.

He opened his mouth to say something, but again, nothing came out. Sylvie took his silence for what it was. A painful form of rejection. He didn't feel the same way and he was too nice to tell her and now she was mad and she'd ruined their friendship and she just wanted to curl up in bed and cry.

"Just – forget it." She said as she turned on her heel and stormed away.

"Sylvie!" he called through the door.

"What?!" she exclaimed sharply as she kept walking towards the bunk room door.

"Can you not walk away from me please?"

"Oh, just like you walked away from me at the wedding?" she challenged as she put her hand on the door handle.

"So, what? You want to fight fire with fire?" he challenged as Sylvie finally looked at him with a glare as he stood at the opposite end of the bunk room by the door to his office.

"God, you are so _frustrating!"_ she exclaimed as she let go of the handle. "I don't get you." She said as she started to pace in front of him and he steadily walked towards her. She'd entirely missed the determination – and the little smirk – on his face as she kept rambling in front of him. "I mean, I thought I did but then you turned so cold like you'd realised you'd let this thing we have get too far, but it's fine, because now I know that it hurts to love you, I know it's not right –"

Sylvie's words were cut off as he carefully took her face in his hands and kissed her with everything in him. Again – time felt like it was standing still. Everything else fell away and Sylvie realised that maybe it didn't hurt to love him after all. Matt's hands moved from her face as they wrapped their arms around each other, all while deepening their kiss. They'd never felt a kiss like it. It felt secure and safe and… _easy_.

They pulled away from the kiss, their arms still wrapped firmly around each other, their noses brushing delicately over each other's as Sylvie waited for him to say something.

"You freaked me out at the wedding." He told her quietly as she gulped. As soon as he saw her walk up the aisle he knew he was sunk. She was like an angel and he felt like he just didn't deserve her, but he also couldn't stay away. He was like a moth drawn to a flame and when she told him how she thought of love – he knew in an instant that's how he thought of her. He loved her. He loved every part of her and he had a feeling he would love her until the day he died. "You freaked me out and ever since I've been trying to work out how to tell you what I want to tell you… so here it goes. After Gabby I didn't think it was possible to love in the same way again. I thought my heart might never heal… but I'm not going to let the heart that didn't love me enough to stay, keep me from the one that will." He told her with a little smile. "I don't want the same love that I had with Gabby. I want this love. I want our love… because it is easy. It's one of the easiest things I've ever felt in my life and I can't begin to describe how good that feels and how right that feels. I know that this is how love is supposed to be. I am so ridiculously in love with you Sylvie Brett and you were right – no one falls in love without being a little brave. So I'm laying it all out. When I look at you, I see the person that I am meant to be with. The person that was right under my nose all this time…" he said as they both let out a laugh as they rested their foreheads against each other's.

"There are a lot of uncertainties in life," Sylvie began, "but you're not one of them. You are the one thing I am sure of – and I just know I'm better for it."

Matt smiled as he cupped her cheeks again and their lips brushed against one another, his infectious smile spreading to hers. It felt so good to love each other. It felt like home. They had finally found the one their souls were longing for.

And it felt _so easy._


	3. Hot Summer's Day

**Hot Summer's Day**

It was a hot summer's day in Chicago and second shift was about to begin. Extreme Chicago weather often made their jobs difficult. In this kind of heat, their gear felt ridiculously uncomfortable and there was little they could do about it. But as Matt rushed through the doors of 51 that morning, the heat was the least of his concerns. He needed to talk to - well, more like warn - everybody about the storm that was brewing, and was relieved to see that everyone was already in the lounge getting their breakfast.

"Guys, listen up, I need to make this fast" he said as he briefly glanced over his shoulder and everyone stopped what they were doing with confused looks on their faces. "Sylvie is about to walk through the door and uh - she isn't taking this heat well." he explained as everyone's faces fell in terror. She hadn't really been taking anything well the past few weeks, and they knew if Matt had felt the need to warn them, it must have been particularly bad.

"How so?" Mackey asked quietly, wanting to be prepared for what they were about to face.

"You know she's been uncomfortable anyway for the past few weeks and the heat isn't helping so her mood isn't good. She's uh - she's a little snappy," Matt warned. "You're all going to take some hits. Some brutal, _personal_ hits. But please - remember the kind and sweet Sylvie Brett that you all love so much is still in there and that it's the heat and the hormones talking. Just - be tolerant. _Please._ " he practically begged as everyone nodded their heads with uncertainty. None of them were entirely sure what was about to hit them. 

Suddenly, the door swung open and Brett waddled into the lounge with a deep scowl on her face.

 _"Matthew. Casey_." she began as she dropped her bags and put her hands on her hips. "Is there a reason that you left me to get out of your damn truck and lift my bag by myself?" she demanded to know.

Matt gulped. He really hated it when people called him Matthew. He always felt like he was in trouble. "I uh - I just wanted to make sure there was a space for you on the couch. Just to make you comfortable-" he said, stumbling over his words.

"Uh yeah, some comfort would be nice because it's what I freaking deserve. It's a pity it's damn near possible to achieve." she grumbled as she wandered over to the sofa and awkwardly lowered herself down on it and rested her hand on her protruding belly. When Sylvie and Matt discovered they were having a baby they were completely and utterly over the moon. Nothing had felt more right and timing finally seemed to be on their side. At first, Sylvie loved being pregnant. She had a real glow about her and sweet Sylvie somehow became even sweeter. But then the morning sickness kicked in. She thought she'd escaped it, but no - it appeared it was a late start. She barely left the bathroom in the mornings and she realised that whatever people said about the glow was a total _lie_.

When Sylvie hit 8 weeks, she had a brief panic that the intensity of their job was going to hurt the baby, so she scheduled an early scan just to be on the safe side. At the scan, however, the got the shock of their lives when they looked at the screen and saw two babies. It took them a few days to wrap their heads around the idea of twins, but once they did, they were excited. It did mean, however, that, Sylvie felt like she was growing at an alarmingly fast rate and the day she couldn't see her toes anymore was the day her mood deteriorated significantly. She loved that her babies were healthy and growing inside her. It was fulfilling and exciting - but she missed her toes. She missed being able to get off the sofa by herself and not have Matt constantly pulling her to her feet. She missed being able to tie her shoelaces by herself. She missed the simplest things.

Her hormones had also been wrecking havoc with her emotions and she would cry over the smallest thing. Recently, she was washing a punnet of strawberries when she spotted a really tiny strawberry that had slipped into the pack. She bit her lip and awed over how small it was. Just like her babies. They would be so small and helpless when they came into the word. And then Matt came along and ate the tiny strawberry, causing Sylvie to burst into tears.

As Sylvie's mood continued to deteriorate, the heat wave hit. Talk about being hit when you were already down. Now, Sylvie was two days past her due date, but a part of her was convinced she would be pregnant for an eternity. She was beyond uncomfortable and hot and outrageously _big_ and she was just fed up with being pregnant. As much as parenting daunted her, she needed these babies out of her ASAP.

Matt wanted nothing more than to relieve her of her discomfort. He hated seeing her so miserable and even when they were just friends, he always felt her misery like it was his own. He was trying to be the optimist, however, and kept reminded her (and himself) that it would be entirely worth it when their babies got here. He was also making a deliberate effort not to complain or provoke a fight when he was pushed. For example, Sylvie had the air conditioning on full blast in their house, meaning that despite the heat outside, he was freezing and went to bed every night with a coat and gloves on. He couldn't understand how Sylvie could lie beside him in her underwear, the duvet completely discarded. A pregnant woman's body truly was a remarkable thing. Plus there was the fact that Sylvie's bad mood was often taken out on him - but he took the hits because he knew she didn't _really_ mean it. Besides, it was normally over incredibly stupid things like telling him his hair was a total mess. He could take that.

When Matt realised just how much of a terror she was likely to be today, he had suggested she stay at home and start enjoyed her maternity leave. But Sylvie said no. She wanted the company and she wanted to still feel a part of 51. She knew that it was ridiculous and she would always be a part of 51, but it was difficult for her being away from them and not running out on calls with them. She missed it, she missed the silliness of the lounge, so any chance she had to be there, she took - even when she was in a foul mood.

"My god it's so hot!" Sylvie exclaimed as Stella quickly brought her best friend a cold drink. "I didn't sign up for this. I signed up for the sweet miracle of life. The pregnancy glow. This - this is what _hell_ must feel like and I am being tested. These babies owe me. Big time."

Nobody really knew what to say to Sylvie. They were scared they would somehow bother her further.

"That's _great_ Cruz, breathe a little louder why don't you?" Sylvie suddenly snapped as Cruz looked up from his newspaper confused. He was sitting in the opposite end of the room. Somehow she now had supersonic hearing?

Before anything else could be said, the bells for a call went and everybody rushed out. They had to move fast anyway, but the somehow moved faster today in a bid to escape Sylvie.

"Oh don't mind me, I'll be fine right here, pregnant and miserable!" She shouted as Ritter handed her a bag of ice on the way past and shot her a sympathetic smile. "Now this is the kind of TLC I need, Casey take note" Sylvie said as she put her feet up, opened the bag and began sucking on the ice chips.

"You're doing great baby, I love you!" Matt said as encouragingly as he could before he rushed out the door, secretly thankful for this odd break.

* * *

When 51 came wandering back in a few hours later, Sylvie's mood hadn't changed and she hadn't moved positions. 

_"Yep, you guessed it, still pregnant!"_ she'd exclaimed as most of 51 took themselves away from the lounge _._

 _"Is drugging pregnant women frowned upon?"_ Capp had grumbled. They all remained silent. The fact that the idea of putting Sylvie into a deep sleep sounded appealing right now made them realise just how much they needed these babies to be born let alone how much Sylvie needed them to be born. They shook their heads before going about their business.

Matt spent the rest of the day beside her on the couch filling out paper work, helping her out of her seat when she needed to pee and getting her whatever she needed (including a truck donut and milkshake run). Matt had left her home just after dinner and then proceeded to sleep soundly at the firehouse. It was rare that he slept well while on shift, but these were unusual circumstances, and he never thought he would say he was grateful for his squeaky bunk.

When Matt got home the following morning, he wasn't expecting the silence that greeted him. He looked downstairs but his wife was nowhere to be found. "Sylvie?" he called - but nothing. 

He made his way upstairs and soon heard some delicate humming coming from the bathroom. He loved hearing Sylvie sing, even if it was softly. He made his way down the hall and stood in the door frame, watching his wife as she lay in the bath. She was surrounded by bubbles and her bump was protruding over the top of the water. She seemed a lot more serene than she had yesterday, drawing lazy circles over her stomach.

"Hi" he greeted with a quiet and affectionate smile. He waited for her to sigh and ask him to help her out of 'this damn bath' - but it never came. Instead, she smiled weakly at him.

"Hi. Cold bath, thought it might help with the heat." she explained.

"What's the verdict?" he asked.

Sylvie nodded, "I'm feeling ok... I'm also feeling sorry."

"For what?"

"For being an ass." she mumbled. Matt smirked before walking into the bathroom, sitting by the bath and taking her hand in his. "You're not being an ass. You're uncomfortable and I know it's not an easy thing to deal with. I cannot tell you how proud I am of you. You've handled yourself with such grace over the past 9 months - I think you're allowed a few bad days here and there." he assured her. "You're housing two humans in there and all of this will be worth it once we meet our babies."

Sylvie looked at Matt for a brief moment before bursting into tears. Matt sprung to his knees, alarmed by her actions.

"Wow, what's wrong?" He asked.

"You always know the right thing to say!" He exclaimed through her tears as Matt furrowed his eyebrows.

"And that's a problem...?" He asked, raising his voice at the end as if he was asking a question. God, these hormones were confusing as _hell_ sometimes.

 _"NO,_ it's just so _you_ and I love you so much for it and my hormones are all over the place and I want nothing more than for someone to massage my stomach because they won't stop kicking my pelvis and I need something else for them to fight against!" Sylvie rambled as she tried to control her tears.

Matt let out a well intentioned laugh and ran his hand over her hair before sighing, "I guess we better give you that massage then" he said before standing up, stripping down.

"What are you doing?! It's freezing in here" she warned as he moved her forward a little before climbing in behind her, letting out a light hiss when he realised just how cold the bath was.

He persisted anyway; "I have walked through fires, I think I can deal with a little cold..." he said as she positioned herself comfortably between his legs.

Matt kissed down her exposed ear and neck as his hands ran over her stomach to find where the babies were kicking. Once he felt the pressure of their little limbs against his hands, he gently rubbed up and down and soon enough, the kicking subsided, just like magic.

"I haven't felt this comfortable in a long time" Sylvie said quietly as Matt smiled against her temple.

"I'm glad" he replied as Brett relaxed further against him. "I also brought home some of that weird liquorice stuff you like she much."

"It's not weird." Sylvie protested with a pout.

"It is weird and there is no way you'd eat it if you weren't pregnant. Nobody should eat that stuff, ever." he teased as Sylvie let out a laugh. He loved that laugh. He missed her laugh and truthfully, he was the only person who could get her to laugh right now.

They managed to stay in the position for a further 7 minutes before Sylvie suddenly sat forward, a pain shooting through her stomach.

" _OW_!" she exclaimed as she grabbed onto her stomach.

"What? What happened?" Matt asked desperately as he sat forward.

"I uh... I think I just had a contraction" Sylvie said through her teeth as she felt another one hit her, grabbing onto the side of the bath until her knuckles turned white.

"It's happening? Now? Right now?" Matt said as he started to panic a little.

Sylvie rolled her eyes, "No Matt, I'm pretending to be in this much pain because I _enjoy_ the discomfort!" She snarked

Apparently, it _had_ been too much to ask for just 10 minutes of comfort.

Apparently it had also been too much to ask for an straight forward labour. 36 hours after her bath, two screaming yet perfect baby boys came into the world.

Jack Boden Casey and Elliot Peter Casey were more amazing than either Sylvie or Matt could have imagined. In an instant, all the discomfort and pain had been forgotten when they looked at their sons. Nothing else mattered and Sylvie easily knew this was the best thing she had ever done. She knew she would look back on her pregnancy with fond memories, because it gave her her boys - and she was so excited to watch them grow and take on the world.


	4. I See Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just noticed that Brett and Casey's lockers are beside each other and now I would really love some cute locker scenes on the show. It's the simple things in life. 
> 
> This is set before the twins are born - I hope you enjoy it!

**I See Home**

Sylvie sat impatiently on the lid of the toilet, her leg tapping restlessly as she stared down at the white stick in her hand. She was starting to think she just wasn't meant to be mother. She knew these things took time and she had to be patient, but she just had a feeling in the pit of her stomach that she was going to be disappointed. She kept trying to tell herself that it was ok, but it was something she wanted more than anything on this planet. It was something she knew her husband wanted more than anything too. She wanted to be able to give him the family they had both dreamed about from the early stages of their relationship.

"This feels pointless" Sylvie said quietly to Matt as he stood in the doorway of their bathroom, waiting to see what the stick said. Sylvie had woken up feeling pretty sick so she figured what harm could it do to take a test? In hindsight, she was probably getting ahead of herself. She'd felt nauseous plenty of times and wasn't pregnant then - why would it be any different now?

"These things take time babe. You can't just expect to have sex one time and then pop out a baby" he said with a little laugh that Sylvie couldn't help but reciprocate.

"I know, I know…" she insisted. But they _didn't_ just have sex one time. They'd been trying for a few months now and they didn't appear to be having any luck. "You know, over a third of healthy couples will get pregnant within the first month of trying." she revealed with a nervous gulp. 

They'd been married for a year when they decided to start trying for a baby. It was their anniversary and they had decided to spend the whole day in bed to celebrate. They didn't get many days like that. Sylvie remembered the moment she brought up babies so clearly. She had been staring at Matt while he tried to pick a movie to watch on all the millions of streaming services Sylvie insisted they buy subscriptions to. His eyebrows were furrowed in frustration as he couldn't find anything that seemed even remotely interesting. Sylvie couldn't help but smile and think that their babies would be so cute with his furrowed brow.

They'd talked about kids before. It was something they both wanted, but they also wanted to enjoy being married first. Matt had told Sylvie that the moment she was ready, he would be ready too. It was something he had been ready for for a long time. Sylvie couldn't be more grateful to not feel rushed about it. She was also grateful to actually be on the same page as someone she loved. It had never been that way for her. Everything was just so smooth with Matt and she realised that that was exactly how love should be. That he was the person she was always meant to find. Through loving Matt, she knew that you shouldn't have to jump through a hundred hoops to be happy.

 _"Dammit"_ Matt had grumbled as he moved toward the end of the bed when the remote started to glitch. He started banging it against his hand as if that was actually going to help.

 _"Let's have a baby"_ Sylvie had said quietly. 

_"What's that babe?_ " Matt had replied, which in hindsight truly made Sylvie laugh. She dropped the baby bomb on him and he hadn't even been paying attention.

 _"I said…"_ she began as she too moved to the end of the bed, took the remote off him and rested her arm over his shoulder. _"Let's have a baby"_

Matt's head shot around as he looked at his wife who was perched on her knees beside him. _"A baby?"_

Sylvie nodded, _"Yeah… it's probably going to sound a little crazy but uh - it's your brow."_

_"What?"_

_"You furrow your brow when you're mad or when you're concentrating or worried and it's stupid cute and all I can think about it how cute our kids would be with that furrowed brow. So yeah - I want to have lots of blonde haired, blue eyed, furrowed eyebrowed babies and I want to start now"_ she said with a little laugh.

Matt smiled widely and looked at her with such wonder. It had been a long time since he'd ever felt so sure about something. When his marriage to Gabby fell apart and he battled with the mess that was left behind, he'd wondered why he'd never been able to have kids with her. While there was a degree of sadness to it, he couldn't help but feel like it was because Sylvie was meant to be the mother of his children. Gabby was a great love – but Sylvie was his forever.

 _"Well… I guess we better get started then."_ He said as he swiftly turned and pulled Sylvie beneath him causing her to squeal and laugh in delight and surprise.

Now here they were, three months later and Sylvie was frustrated. She'd peed on countless sticks and she was just tired. She knew three months may not seem like long to some, but it felt long to her - especially when she'd heard it happened for most people already.

"… one line." She said read off the stick quietly. It looked like it still wasn't their time.

Matt nodded, not really knowing what to say. Sylvie tossed the stick in the trash and stood up.

"It's ok." She said, trying to stay her normal, positive self and look for the good despite how she was feeling. "Next time" she said with a weak smile as she kissed Matt on the cheek and left the bathroom. "Oh!" she suddenly remembered as she took a step back. "I said I would meet Mackey before work to do some extra inventory stuff, so I'll see you there?" she said.

He nodded in response, "Yeah, see you there."

Sylvie smiled at him, "I love you Matt Casey. Very much." She knew this was getting a little taxing on him too and they needed to support one another.

He couldn't help but smile back. Even in his disappointment his love for her was overwhelming. That was how he knew they would be ok even if this baby stuff didn't work out. He knew that happiness would never go away and there were other avenues they could explore in expanding their family.

"I love you too."

As Sylvie left, Matt looked back down at the trash can and the stick that lay on top of it. He was about to walk away – but then he did a double take. He squinted his eyes and studied the stick carefully. He felt like he must be seeing things. He bent down and picked up the stick and his mouth fell open.

Two lines. There were two lines there. Sylvie had misread the stick. She was pregnant. Oh my _god_ she was _pregnant._

"Sylvie!" he immediately called, but he got no response. He rushed to the bedroom window and saw that her car was already gone.

He quickly gathered his things and rushed to the station to talk to her. Once he got there, he was swiftly taken away by Boden who needed to discuss some firehouse business immediately. He was growing more and more agitated and just as he was released from the meeting – the bells went off and they were all called to an emergency. He watched as Sylvie jumped into the ambulance with Mackey and sped away. He felt his anxiety increase slightly. He had no idea what they were about to walk in to. It could be dangerous, and Sylvie was going in not knowing some vital information about her own body.

Once they arrived at the scene, they swiftly worked to get everyone out of an apartment building following a huge fire. As soon as Matt rescued the last victim, he immediately looked around for Sylvie to make sure she was ok. He knew she could handle herself perfectly well. She was a bold and brilliant and capable person, but that didn't mean he didn't worry about her, just like he knew she worried about him.

He started walking towards her just as the patient she was tending to started to kick up a fuss.

"Sir, I need you to lie back down, we need to take you to Chicago Med—"

"There's nothing wrong with me!" he protested as Sylvie tried to push him back down and Matt quickened his pace in her direction.

"Sir you inhaled a lot of smoke and you look like you've broken your ankle—" Sylvie tired to explain calmly.

"Get your hands off me!" he shouted as he violently shoved her away from him and she fell to the ground.

 _"HEY!"_ Matt shouted as he rushed over and held the man down. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"Casey—" Sylvie began as she got to her feet.

"Every single person here is here to save you life and the lives of the people around you, so how about you listen to what these trained professionals have to say, huh?" Matt told him sternly as Sylvie looked at him, a little surprised by his reaction. He'd seen patients get rough with her before, but this was the first time he'd really reacted so badly to it. " _No one_ shoves my paramedics around, you got that? You touch her again, you'll be facing assault charges."

The man lay back down and Matt briefly glanced up at Sylvie. He looked her up and down and saw that she was ok before turning back around to help with the clean up. He wanted more than anything to scream from the rooftops that she was pregnant, but he knew now wasn't the moment. Sylvie watched him walk away for a few seconds before Mackey brought her back around.

"Hey partner – you ok?" she asked as she followed Sylvie's eyeline towards Casey.

"Yeah. Fine. Let's get to med" Sylvie said as they loaded the finally calm man onto the back of the ambulance.

* * *

When everyone got back to the station, they quickly went to get themselves cleaned up for some lunch. It had been an insane morning and they were all starving by this stage. Everyone except Sylvie that was. She still felt nauseous and it was driving her crazy. She couldn't keep _anything_ down. But right now, her hunger was the last thing on her mind. She needed to talk to Matt and find out what the hell got into him on that call. When Sylvie went into the lounge, she noted that Matt wasn't there.

"Severide" she called as Kelly looked up at her from the table. "Have you seen Matt?"

Kelly shook his head, "Probably his office. He was a little worked up about something, probably needed to cool off."

Sylvie nodded her head, knowing all too well how worked up Matt got. She left the lounge and stormed round to his quarters to try and get some answers. As she got the door, she saw him standing looking out of the window.

"Hey" she greeted a little more aggressively than she'd meant. "You want to tell me what all of that was about today?" she asked. "Because – you've seen patients get rough with me before and you have _never_ acted like you did today. You've always trusted that I could handle myself, but for some reason you thought I was incapable of doing that today!"

"That's not what I thought" he said as he kept looking out the window. "I just wanted to protect you."

"From _what_? I was pushed to the ground, really quite lightly, the guy was incredibly weak from the fire. I have a grazed elbow – that's it. There was nothing to protect me from—"

"I want to protect both of you." He said cryptically.

Sylvie raised an eyebrow, "What are you talking about? Both of who?"

Matt finally turned around and looked at her with a little smile on his face. Sylvie crossed her arms and quirked an eyebrow, "Ok… what am I missing?" she asked, feeling her bad mood shift all because of the little smile on his face.

"I have been trying to think all day how to tell you this. I thought about doing something special and memorable… but I think right here is just fine." He said as he reached into his back pocket and lifted out Sylvie's discarded pregnancy test from this morning.

"Is that my test from this morning?" she asked quietly.

Matt nodded, "Yeah… turns out you tossed it away a little too soon because there are two very clear lines on this test" he said, his smile widening as Sylvie looked at him in complete shock, her eyes filling with tears.

"It's positive?" she asked in a whisper as she rested her hand on her chest.

Matt nodded, "It's positive. So when that guy pushed you to the ground I panicked… I panicked because you're having a baby Sylvie and if something had have happened to either of you--"

"We're—we're having a baby." Sylvie said, almost in disbelief.

Matt walked towards her and rested his hands on her cheeks. She bent her head forward and he smiled against her forehead before delicately kissing it.

"We're having a baby… a bright, no doubt blue eyed baby, with my furrowed brows" he said as Sylvie let out a little laugh as she finally looked up at him. He wiped away a stray tear that fell from her eye with his thumb.

"Are you happy?" she asked in a whisper.

"I don't think I've ever been happier. Loving you and starting a family with you is the greatest joy I have ever felt." He told her as Sylvie smiled up at him. "You are my dream Sylvie Brett… and that dream just got that little bit brighter."

Sylvie snuggled her head into his chest as he hugged her tightly.

"I didn't realise that a person could ever feel like home. You feel like home Matt Casey and I love you so much… _dad."_ She teased as she smiled at Matt's deep chuckle radiated through her.

Matt knew exactly what she meant. Every time he held her or heard her voice or just saw her across a room – he knew that he was home. Now their home was getting that little bit bigger – and they couldn't be more excited.


	5. Inquisitive Minds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack and Elliot have an important question to ask their parents.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters today!

**Inquisitive Minds**

Three-year olds Jack and Elliot Casey peaked over the back of the sofa at their mother as she prepared their lunch in the kitchen. They had to ask her something. Something _very_ important. Something _very_ serious and they wanted to make sure they did it right. They'd spoken about it all night, hiding under their duvets as they did so. Now, they were psyching themselves up to get the answers they needed, so they watched all morning, just waiting for the right opportunity to ask.

Sylvie had also been watching. She and Matt had noticed from the moment the boys woke up they were quieter than usual. Something was _off_ , but they couldn't quite put their finger on _what_. While Elliot could be pretty quiet at the best of times, Jack was constantly swinging from the roof and it didn't take much to drag Elliot into his mischief. When Matt left for a contracting job, Sylvie promised she would get to the bottom of it.

"Are you _spying_ on me?" Sylvie asked, not even lifting her head from the food in front of her as the boys quickly ducked behind the sofa again.

She heard them mumbling to each other, although most of it was incoherent, she managed to suss out a few sentences.

" _You do it!" "No you do it, it was your question!" "You wanted to know too!" "You're stupid!" "No you're stupid!"_

She was also certain she'd heard a few thumps being thrown in there, but she figured this was something they needed to sort out themselves. She eventually heard Jack sigh and get off the couch.

" _Fine…"_ he said as he walked over to Sylvie with Elliot in tow. "Momma?"

"Yes babies?" Sylvie asked as she finally turned to look at them with a raised eyebrow.

"Elliot and I have an important question." Jack said with a nod of certainty.

"Ok… is everything ok?" Sylvie asked, all of a sudden getting a little nervous about what they were about to ask. It couldn't be anything terrible, right? Despite being bright and intuitive for their age, they were still only three years old.

Jack was about to speak but then suddenly chickened out and pushed Elliot in front of him "You ask her."

Elliot sighed and shook his head at his brother. Elliot really was a very serious little boy – much like Matt. He didn't really put up with much nonsense despite being a little kid.

"Mom." He began as Sylvie tried to anticipate what was coming – but nothing could prepare her for this. "Where do babies come from?"

Sylvie's eyes widened and she gulped, "… babies?"

"Yes!" Elliot exclaimed. "You have a baby inside your belly and we've been trying so hard to work out how it got there but we _can't!"_ he blurted out as Sylvie held back a laugh. She would have loved to have been a fly on the wall while they were having those conversations.

She briefly glanced down at her 6-month pregnant belly. When she and Matt had told the boys they would be getting a new baby brother or sister, they didn't really show an awful lot of interest. They just nodded their heads and asked if they could go play some more. It didn't really phase them. They were little boys after all, what did they expect? So, it hadn't really been properly addressed since – apart from the subtle and cautious reminders to them about it every now and again. They were afraid they would completely forget and be a little shocked when a screaming baby arrived in the house.

But the more Sylvie thought about it, the more she realised she should have seen the signs of this question coming. The boys would often stare intensely at her bump. Jack had even put his ear to it on occasion to see if he could hear anything going on in there. Right about now, she was seriously regretting not having an answer for this prepared.

"Oh… well, uh…" Sylvie began awkwardly. She knew she had to answer them. They were too smart to let her avoid the question. They would be immediately on her for a real answer. Sylvie sighed, "If I told you a stork drops babies off on our doorstep would you believe me?"

Jack and Elliot both crossed their arms and shook their heads in disapproval.

Sylvie pursed her lips, "… right. How about we talk about it when daddy gets home?"

"Sylvia Evelyn Brett!" Jack exclaimed as Sylvie quirked an eyebrow. "Will you _please_ answer our question?"

"… did you just full name me? Because two can play at that game Jack Boden Casey." She said as she crossed her arms.

"Ok… no more full naming…" Jack grumbled. He _hated_ it when his parents full named him, mainly because they did it when he was in trouble.

 _"Where do babies come from?"_ Elliot asked slowly, signalling that he wasn't going to let this go.

Before Sylvie had another chance to worm her way out of this one, the front door opened, and Matt soon appeared in the kitchen.

"Dad!" the boys shouted as they ran for their dad, immediately jumping on him, causing him to stumble back slightly.

"Wow, nice to see you too…" he said with a little laugh as he managed to lift them in either arm.

Sylvie walked over to her boys with a smirk on her face. She couldn't wait to see Matt's face when the boys asked him the dreaded question.

"Hi" Sylvie over enthusiastically greeted. Matt immediately caught on that something was up. It wasn't unusual for Sylvie to be beaming, but there was a mischievous flicker in her eye.

"You're in a good mood" he observed curiously as the boys fought to grab his attention by pulling is face in their individual directions, but it proved counter intuitive as he moved back and forward between the two so his attention was nowhere. 

"And it's about to get that little bit better" she said as she crossed her arms across her body. Matt opened his mouth to ask why, but Elliot spoke up first.

"Dad, we have a question." Elliot interrupted as Matt turned to look at him.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Where do babies come from?"

Matt's eyes widened as he slowly set the boys down in front of him before awkwardly stretching his neck, having no idea where to go with this. He looked up at his wife who was smirking joyfully at him, completely thankful that the heat was off her on this one.

"Why uh – why don't you ask mommy? She's the one with the baby in her tummy after all…" he said, desperately trying to turn this back around as Sylvie glared at him.

"Stoppppp!" Jack said dramatically. "Why won't you tell us? How did the baby get in there!"

Elliot's eyes widened as he looked at Sylvie's stomach, "… how does it get _out_?"

"Ok, come here" Matt said as the boys jumped up on the sofa at the back of the kitchen and Matt sat on the coffee table opposite them. Much like Sylvie had, Matt soon realised that there was no point lying to them. They were smart kids. If they didn't feel satisfied with the answer, they would go looking elsewhere for one. Their next available source was probably Severide and God knows what he'd tell them.

"So… when two people love each other very much they sometimes decide to have a baby together." Matt began as Sylvie watched in amusement, wondering where he was going to take this. "And uh – boys and girls have different parts and they can use these parts to plant a seed inside mommy's stomach."

Jack nodded, "I've grown seeds in school!" he said excitedly. They'd been working a rooftop garden at pre-school, and that fact seemed to be working in Matt's favour as he eagerly latched onto that comparison. 

Matt smiled and nodded, thankful that this story was resonating with Jack. "Yeah, exactly like that. The seed is planted and then the baby grows inside mommy's stomach."

"I get it!" Jack said triumphantly as he darted off the sofa, happy with the answer.

Matt looked at Elliot who was still sitting across from him, his arms folded and looking _entirely_ unimpressed.

"You ok Elliot?" Matt asked, not entirely convinced he wanted to know the answer to that question.

"Babies are seeds… and they _grow_ in mommy's belly?" Elliot asked as he turned around and looked at Sylvie. "I grew in there?"

"Yeah bud, you were" Sylvie told him softly as she bent down, so she was facing him on the other side of the sofa. "You and Jack look up a lot of space in there." She said with a little laugh as she delicately kissed the tip of his nose.

"Does it hurt?" Elliot asked. While Jack had only really been interested in knowing where babies came from, Elliot was more inquisitive and more sensitive to the particulars. It had always been that way about anything. Elliot had always wanted to know more. He was more thoughtful and cautious than his brother.

"No baby, it doesn't hurt." She told him. It certainly wasn't _peachy,_ but she really didn't want to freak her three-year-old out. There were some things that he _definitely_ didn't need to know right now.

"Ok…" Elliot agreed slowly. He still didn't seem to entirely buy his parents' answers, but it would have to do for now. He jumped off the sofa and went to find his brother.

As he walked away, he grumbled to himself, "Mom and dad are weird."

Sylvie let out a laugh, "What?!"

"You were being weird about our question when the answer is easy!" he said as he ran down the hall.

Sylvie looked at Matt in disbelief. "They're going to hate us when they find out the details"

Matt chuckled, "there is no _way_ they'll remember this when it's time for them to know the details." He assured her. Sylvie pouted. "What's wrong?"

"My boys think I'm _weird_ …"

"It was only a matter of time babe. We can't be cool parents forever."

"Maybe this baby will think I'm super cool" she cooed down at her stomach.

"Yeah, keep dreaming…"


	6. Daring Spirits

**Daring** ** Spirits **

_"Jack! Jack!_ Get down from there, you're going to get us in trouble!" Elliot whisper shouted at his brother. It was a sunny Tuesday morning and Jack and Elliot's kindergarten class had taken a school trip to Firehouse 51. The boys were thrilled to be going to one of their favourite places on Earth. They'd already been countless times with their parents, but they felt a little proud that they got to come here with their classmates and say that their mom and dad worked here. To two four-year olds it was like their claim to fame.

As soon as they had arrived in the firehouse they were running around and waving to everyone they knew gleefully. Nothing made the boys feel more part of the firehouse like when Capp had bestowed nicknames upon them. He called Jack, Jace – a neat combination of his names that was often shortened to Ace and he called Elliot, Moose, because… the song. They _loved_ it. It made them feel important and a part of the squad.

"Come on Elliot, we're just playing!" Jack whisper shouted back. As soon as their kindergarten teacher had turned her back, Jack had sprinted off to truck 81, climbed the ladder up the side of it and was now standing on top of the truck, trying to convince his brother to join him. Jack had always been a bit of a dare devil. There wasn't much he wasn't willing to do. He never really saw the harm in having a little fun – consequences be damned. Brett and Casey were convinced that this was going to get him in hot water one day. In their minds there was a difference between being reckless and being brave and Jack could do with learning the distinction.

"Elliot? Jack?" they heard their teacher call as Jack immediately ducked down and Elliot's eyes widened like a deer caught in headlights. "Ah, Elliot" Mrs Mayberry said with a soft smile when she turned down the side of the truck and found him. "The firefighters are here to tell us about their work" she said as Elliot looked past her and saw his Uncle Joe and Uncle Herman standing there talking to the kids in their class. "Where's Jack?" she asked, realising that his brother wasn't with him.

"Uh… I think he's with the others." Elliot suggested. Elliot was a cautious soul. He never jumped into things without seriously thinking them through first. He was always willing, however, to help the people he cared about the most in this world. That meant lying to his teacher to make sure his brother didn't get into trouble…

"Oh. I must have missed him. Come on, let's go" she said, motioning Elliot away from the truck. Elliot took one last glimpse back at his brother who he could see peaking over the side of the truck holding a hand over his mouth to stop his giggles from being heard.

As Elliot walked back over to his class, Joe looked up as Herman spoke to the kids and frowned. He gave Elliot a light wave but wondered where Jack was. Casey had told him both Jack and Elliot would be here today. After Herman had finished talking to the kids and took them over to the side to show them some equipment, Joe walked around the back of the group and bent down to Elliot's height.

"Elliot… where's your other half?" he asked with a quirked eyebrow. He had a funny feeling that Jack Casey was up to no good.

Elliot sighed, "Uncle Joe I don't have another half I am an individual." He dramatically stated.

Joe chuckled, "Of course… where is Jack then?"

Elliot simply shrugged. He really didn't want to get his brother in trouble. He figured he could do that all on his own and he knew if the situation was reversed, Jack would back him up in a heartbeat. They had a really special bond as not only brothers, but as twins.

"You wouldn't lie to your Uncle Joe, would you?" Joe asked as Elliot remained silent and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Well I know he definitely wouldn't lie to his dad… right Elliot?"

Elliot's eyes widened as he slowly turned around and came face to face with Matt, who had his arms crossed over his chest and his eyebrows raised. Elliot gulped as he briefly glanced over Matt's shoulder and saw Jack on top of the truck, silently playing and messing around.

"Dad… you wouldn't rat out on Uncle Severide, would you?" Elliot asked as Matt remained silent. He couldn't believe he was getting conned by two four-year-olds. "Then you can't expect me to rat out on Jack!"

"Elliot" Matt said with a sigh as he pulled Elliot away from the other kids so not to cause a scene. "This isn't about ratting your brother out. A firehouse isn't a playground, I just want to make sure he's safe and not doing anything he shouldn't be doing."

Elliot still remained silent but Matt could see the guilt starting to spread across his face. Instead of saying anything, Elliot merely looked up at the truck as Matt turned his head and saw Jack immediately duck down.

Matt let out another sigh and nodded his head, "Go join the others" he said as he ran his hand over Elliot's hair and walked towards the truck. He climbed up the side of the truck until he was face to face with Jack who was lying flat on his stomach to avoid being seen.

"… I guess I need to work on my hiding huh?" Jack said quietly as Matt pulled bac his son's blonde hair so he could fully see his face.

"Just a smidge." Matt replied. "What are you doing up here Jack?"

"I just wanted to have some fun…" he said sulkingly as he sat up and tucked his legs beneath him. "We've heard all the stuff Uncle Joe and Uncle Herman are talking about before, I just wanted to do something different!"

"Jack you know we don't mind you sitting in the trucks and being up here… but you _always_ do it with an adult. Fire trucks are not a toy and you _need_ to have someone with you so you don't get hurt." Matt told him. He loved that his son had such an adventurous spirit, but he could do with practicing a little bit of caution alongside it.

"I just want to be like you guys." He said quietly. He admired what his parents did so much. They were his heroes, so it was only natural that he would take any opportunity to be like them.

Matt smiled, "And you can be… one day. For now you need to enjoy being a kid. You can dream big now and it just might come true in the future."

"You think?" he said, his face brightening up a little bit at his dad telling him that he could be firefighter one day.

"Yeah, I do" he said with certainty. He wasn't sure if as a father he should want his son to want to run into burning buildings, but at the same time, he knew this was the best job in the world and he didn't doubt at all that someone with the same spirit as Jack would be amazing at it. He looked back at Elliot for a moment and smiled again. Elliot was definitely more cautious than Jack, but something told him he would have real knack for it too. His calm control and Jack's daring spirit could make quite the dynamic duo.

He looked back at Jack, whose eyes had suddenly widened, "You're not going to tell momma are you?" he asked quietly. "I mean – she's far too busy with the baby, she doesn't need to be worrying about me…" he reasoned as Matt let out a snigger. Their new baby was just a few weeks old so Sylvie was still at home with them. He imagined Sylvie wouldn't be best impressed to find Jack up here.

"No matter how busy she is with the baby, you will always be her baby boy… so yeah, I'm going to tell her." Matt told him. He wasn't about to lie to his wife about their son's adventures. "I don't want to see you up here again on your own, ok?" he asked, making sure his son was clear on what he'd just heard.

"Ok" Jack agreed with a head nod before allowing Matt to lift him down from the truck. As soon as Matt set him down he ran back over to his class and sat down beside his brother and Matt watched as they immediately started giggling about something. He smiled to himself before walking over to the back to listen in on what they were learning about.


	7. Secrets

**Secrets**

It was a Friday morning, and things had gotten off to a quiet start a 51 - not that anybody would say that out loud of course, otherwise they would just jinx themselves. It was this quietness that made the squeal Matt heard in the bunkroom from his quarters all the more alarming. He leaned back in his chair and peered through the crack in his door as he saw Sylvie trying to shush Stella, who in turn at the biggest smile on her face and had her hands clasped over her chest. Normally, he knew better than to get in between his wife and her best friend, but this particular incidence felt strange. What could Sylvie be telling Stella that would get her that excited?

He opened the door a little further and stood from his chair, "You guys ok?" he asked as Sylvie turned around, looking like a deer caught in headlights.

"H—" she began, but suddenly began to choke on her own spit. Matt smirked. History appeared to be having a habit of repeating itself when it came to him greeting her and her choking out of nervousness. Of course, the first time he didn't realise she was nervous about being around him, but now? Now he he knew her tells and he knew she was hiding something from him.

He walked towards her and started gently rubbing her back; "What's going on?"

"Oh nothing…" Stella quickly interjected. Sylvie couldn't keep a secret, and when presented with the opportunity to tell before she had enacted her plan, she would crack. Stella knew she had to intervene. "We'll get her some water, she'll be fine." Stella insisted before she wrapped her arm around Sylvie's shoulder and led her out of the lounge before Matt could pry any further. 

The pushed past Severide on their way out, who was now eyeing them just as curiously as Sylvie continued to cough a little.

"What's up with them?" Severide asked as Matt sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"They're hiding something."

Severide slowly nodded his head. "It's probably better don't know then." he said with a little laugh before walking towards his quarters. He also knew that it was better to not get in between his wife and her best friend. Matt on the other hand couldn't shake this one. It seemed like something more than just a boring piece of gossip, he knew Sylvie well. Something was up.

"You know you want to know man." Matt called after Severide. 

Severide quirked a brow, "Since when did you become a gossip rag? You're a dad man, come on." he reasoned. 

Matt rolled his eyes, "This isn't about gossip, this is about Sylvie deliberately keeping something from me. What if it's important that I know?"

"Then she'll tell you eventually." Severide fired back.

"I am asking my best friend for a little help. She's clearly told Stella what's going on, which means Stella will probably tell you." Matt reasoned. He knew Severide was right and it probably wasn't a big deal, but he didn't like to be on the outskirts of something. He didn't like feeling lied to.

"Girl code. No way." Severide reminded him. Stella and Sylvie were not ones to blab each other's business to anyone, even their husbands.

"Just – try. Please?" Matt asked desperately. "Even just a sliver of information so I don't freak out for the rest of the day."

"... fine. I'll see what I can find out." Severide reluctantly agreed before sulking into his office. The things you're willing to do for your best friend, huh?

* * *

A few hours later, Matt was sitting in the lounge doing some paperwork. He'd been watching Sylvie carefully. She'd taken a few phone calls and was on her computer more than usual, but there was nothing out of the ordinary. Ambo had also taken a lot of calls so she really didn't have time to do anything unusual. 

When she got back from a call just after lunch, she walked over to Matt and rested her hand on the back of his chair, "Hey, I have to pick something up after work so I'm going to head on without you. Christie's going to bring my car and the boys to me so I'll just take them with me. You can have a nice morning to yourself." Christie had been the best auntie since Jack and Elliot were born. They stayed with their nanny during the day and then Christie took over when she finished work and stayed with them until the following morning. She said she was glad to be around her nephews as she missed Violet being that young, and Matt and Sylvie were grateful that Jack and Elliot could be with family when they had to work.

Matt turned his head and looked up at her, "Where you heading?"

Sylvie shrugged, "Just an errand, I won't be long." she insisted as she kissed Matt's cheek and walked on. 

That certainly did nothing to ease Matt's suspicions.

Before he could contemplate it much further, Severide walked into the lounge and Matt was quickly on his tail. He jumped from his seat and walked over to his friend, "You hear anything?"

"It's all good man, nothing to worry about." Severide insisted as he gave Matt a quick pat on the arm and then tried to walk away.

"Ok… then what is it?" Matt asked.

"Don't worry about it" Severide merely repeated before leaving.

Matt's mouth fell open as he tried to protest, but couldn't find the words. This was so frustrating. Why was he being left in the cold? He knew Sylvie wouldn't keep anything big from him, but it was all just so _weird_. For so long they had been each other's confidants. They were one of the very few people each other trusted with anything in their lives and he couldn't see any reason why that would change.

The morning after shift, he went straight for a run from work to release some pent up frustrations. When he got home a little while later, he was surprised to see Sylvie's car already parked in the drive. He walked into the house, discarding his stuff by the door and following Jack and Elliot's little voices into the kitchen.

"Hey twinnies" Matt greeted happily as the boys ate their pancakes for brunch.

"Hi dad!" they both resounded, through Jack's greeting was a little grumbled through his mouth full of food.

"Smaller mouthfuls bud" he said with a little snigger as he ran his hand over his son's head before giving him a kiss. "Where's mom?"

"Mom is here" Sylvie said as she came into the room with a basket of laundry. "Hi" she greeted - without choking.

"Hi" Matt replied as Sylvie stood in front of him and quickly kissed him. "How is it that I just spent a whole shift with you, but feel like I barely saw you?"

Sylvie smiled, setting the basket down on the kitchen island, "I was pretty busy." she said cryptically.

"Yeah I noticed…" he grumbled as Sylvie quirked an eyebrow and Matt walked over to clear the boy's plates away after they darted into the playroom.

"I did a little bit of shopping for the boys yesterday. Got them some new Chicago Bears jerseys." Sylvie said as she folded her arms and watched as Matt puffed around, cleaning up Jack and Elliot's plates. "They're in that bag if you want to check them out. They're very cute."

"Guys don't really go goo-goo for that kind of stuff honey…" Matt reasoned. He had no doubt that the jerseys were cute, but he didn't need to _swoon_ over them.

"Just – just look at them." Sylvie pleaded.

Matt stopped what he was doing and eyed her curiously, "Ok…" he conceded as he walked over to the kitchen island and reached for the bag. He briefly looked up at Sylvie and saw her looking at him with a sense of great anticipation. What the _heck_ was going on? It was just a couple of jerseys.

He lifted them out and turned them over, inspecting the name and numbers on the back of them. Casey 1. Casey 2… _Casey 3?_ He stared at the third jersey for a minute before lifting it up. It was tiny. He looked at the label and saw that it was for a baby. Casey 3. Baby sized t-shirt. _Casey 3_.

"Casey number 3?" he questioned with a gulp, finally looking up at his wife and seeing she had the sweetest smile on her face. "Are you pregnant?"

Sylvie nodded her head, "Yeah, I am"

Matt immediately walked over to her and hugged her so tightly. All his grumbles immediately faded away and his heart felt so full. He pulled back from his wife, seeing they both had tears in their eyes. They'd only been trying for a short time now and it had certainly happened a lot faster than it had with the twins.

"Was this why you were sneaking around all day?" he asked as he moved a piece of hair out of her face.

Sylvie let out a little laugh, "I wanted you to be the first person to know, but then I remembered you kept the fact that I was pregnant with the boys from me for a whole _day_ so I thought it was only fair that I had some fun with this one" she teased with a little giggle. "Stella has a friend who helped me make the shirts on such short notice." She explained.

"What about Severide?"

"He guessed" Sylvie said with a grimace as Matt smirked and nodded his head.

"Of course he did." Matt looked at Sylvie and immediately saw the light that was radiating from her. She was just so beautiful and he couldn't quite believe just how in love with her he was. He also couldn't believe the family they had. It seemed like a pipe dream, but now it was here and it was so very real.

"I am so in love with you" he told her as Sylvie smiled widely, her eyes filling with more tears. She delicately rested her hands on Matt's cheeks.

"I love you too and so do your boys - I can't wait to see how much this baby is going to love you too." She told him quietly. They were the only two in the room, but she was still talking to him as if she only wanted him to hear.

"We're having a baby" he repeated, wanting to speak it into existence.

"We're having a baby" she replied before Matt swooped his head and kissed her with all the love in his heart and keen excitement brewing over what was to come.


	8. Thunderstorm

**Thunderstorm**

Matt stared out the window of his quarters at the storm that was raging in Chicago. The night quarter of his shift had just started, and he really wished he was at home. Elliot hated storms and with Sylvie being heavily pregnant, he imagined she would find it difficult to keep him calm and keep _herself_ calm too. The last thing they all needed was for Sylvie to go into labour in the middle of a superstorm. Sylvie had had a much easier pregnancy this time round. She still experienced some sickness, some mood swings and some discomfort, but not on the level she experienced with the twins. She actually felt like she could enjoy this pregnancy.

Herrmann had, however, made a joke about the good pregnancies resulting in bad children, and although Sylvie knew it was ridiculous, she couldn't help but let the fear get to her a little bit. Naturally, another baby was going to change their established dynamic as a family of four and she wanted that transition to be as smooth as possible. Ever since the boys had 'found out' where babies came from, they became more curious about the new little life that would be joining them. Jack was constantly lying his ear against Sylvie's stomach to see if he could hear anything, and Elliot wanted to know what the baby would actually do when it got here. He didn't sound that impressed when Matt told him the baby would basically sleep, poop and eat for a the first while.

Right now, as Sylvie neared the end of her pregnancy, this storm felt like a bad omen and she also wished Matt was at home.

Matt was about to turn around and get on with his paperwork when he heard giggling at his door. Those giggles were like music to his ears. He quirked an eyebrow and turned his head to the side to see is his peripheral vision could confirm the source of the giggles. Once it had, he turned back to the window and smiled.

"I wonder what my boys are doing right now…" he thought out loud as he heard Jack and Elliot continue to laugh and hush each other at the same time. "They're probably in bed. It is very late after all."

Jack scoffed, "It's not _that_ late…" he said as his face fell and Elliot slapped his hand to his forehead as his brother gave away their position. "Oops…"

Matt chucked and turned around to see the boys standing at the door with guilty smiles on their faces.

"Did you two drive here all by yourselves in the middle of a storm?" Matt teased as he held out his hands in front of him.

Jack took Matt's que and bolted the short distance towards him and jumped into Matt's arms. "Don't be silly dad, momma drove! Though her belly was a little squished behind the wheel." he revealed with a giggle.

"That's cause I'm about ready to pop Jackie" Sylvie said with a sigh as she appeared at the door behind Elliot. "Uncle Joe has some snacks in the kitchen for you two, why don't you go check it out?"

"Aw, yeah!" Jack said happily as he wiggled out of Matt's arms and dashed out the door to the lounge. Elliot was about to follow when a clap of thunder came and he almost jumped out of his skin. He quickly turned to his parents with wide eyes.

"It's ok baby, you're ok" Sylvie assured him as she pulled him into her side and kissed his head. Hugging her boys straight on was proving a little difficult with her bump. She truly couldn't wait till she could probably hug them and shower them with kisses again. "You're inside, it can't hurt you." She reminded him.

Elliot nodded his head, "It's still _loud_..." He told them. He knew he would be ok, but he just didn't like feeling so startled. He briefly looked out the window and saw that the thunder had quietened down. "Maybe a snack would help. I always feel better when my belly's full." He reasoned as Sylvie and Matt smiled widely at his reasoning and watched as he dashed away before another thunderclap could scare him and no one was around to reassure him.

Sylvie turned to Matt who looked at her softly, "I'm glad you're here." he said as he hugged her tightly against his chest, smiling as her bump protruded into his stomach.

Sylvie let out a breath as she closed her eyes and just listened to his heartbeat, immediately feeling so at ease in his arms. "The boys were not sleeping and we all just kind of wanted to be with you right now, so we made a quick dash when there was a break in the storm." She told him. There was a very simple explanation for their visit and Matt loved that they'd taken it. "Even if it did mean me squeezing behind a steering wheel."

Matt's chuckled vibrated through her, "I'm sure that was comfortable. It's so strange coming to work without you… it just feels like there's something missing." 

Matt wasn't the only one who felt like that. Sylvie was a part of the DNA of this house and everybody missed her. She'd been on official maternity leave for a few months now. For the first 5 months of her pregnancy she was able to continue working, but she knew the day she needed Matt to help her tie her shoes was the day she needed to step back from the field. Like she had when she was pregnant with the boys, the academy gladly took one of their best paramedics on as an instructor at the academy and she hung around 51 to keep up to date with everything that was going on the house for when she came back (and, admittedly to spend as much time with her 51 family as she could.) Now that she was officially gone for the next little while, the firehouse certainly felt like a light had gone out in it. Thankfully, they all knew it was only temporary and they also knew that it was happening because another Casey was being welcomed into the world. If this baby turned out half as wonderful as Jack and Elliot, the world would no doubt be a better place.

"I miss being here everyday" Sylvie confessed. While she was so excited to welcome her baby into the world and enjoy that new-born bliss, she was also so excited to get back in the field doing what she loved.

"Come on, let's go get some of those snacks" Matt said as he quickly kissed her and released her from his hold. He took her hand and began to walk away, but was met with resistance when Sylvie didn't move with him. He looked back at her and saw her hand over her stomach and a frown on her face.

"Are you ok?"

"… yeah, yeah, I'm fine" she said with a smile. "Just a little twinge, she's probably moving."

Matt quirked an eyebrow, "She?"

Sylvie smiled, "It's just a feeling."

"Whatever happened to being convinced I could only ever be a boy dad?" he questioned. Everyone had said it - Matt was a boy dad. Between the Darden boys, Louis and Jack and Elliot - it was just the way it was. Sylvie was more than ok with that - she loved her Casey boys with everything in her. But a little Casey girl? Someone had to break the trend _eventually_ , right?

"I can change my mind" she insisted.

"Well, mother knows best…" Matt said with a little smile. He loved being a father to boys too, but he would adore a little girl to complete their family.

* * *

Matt watched from the table in the lounge as Jack and Elliot helped Cruz with the treats he was making for the house. He chuckled to himself lightly when Cruz turned away and Jack and Elliot immediately stuck their fingers in the bowl and licked them. He made a mental note to warn people before they touched them that the treats were contaminated by Casey germs.

Matt turned his head and looked to the sofa where Sylvie was sitting. She had her feet planted firmly in front of her, but her head was lying backwards until it rested on the frame of the couch and her eyes were closed. She looked like she was taking deep breaths and her hands were rested delicately under her bump. He stood from his chair and excused himself from everybody else and walked over to her, watching as she lightly screwed up her face. He bent down beside the couch.

"Sylvie…" he spoke quietly as she bit her lip and nodded. "You would tell me if you were in labour, right?"

"Um hm…" she said through her closed lips.

"Because you're looking a little uncomfortable right about now"

"Um hm…" she said again as she finally lifted her head and looked at him, tears filling her eyes. "Matt"

"Yeah?"

"… I think in labour" she said quietly, not wanting to draw anymore attention to herself. "I maybe should have mentioned this sooner, but I was hoping the contractions would stay far enough apart until the storm passes. I don't want to give birth in the firehouse." She told him. She figured there was no way it was safe for her to travel to the hospital in this weather. It had gotten considerably worse since she and the boys had arrived at 51. Unfortunately, her hopes of the contractions remaining far apart were dwindling. It all felt like it was happening fast and the pressure she felt down below was intense. At least it was a change from the 36 hours of labour she faced with the boys.

Matt smiled softly, "better here than home alone in the middle of a superstorm" he reminded her. "Come on, let's get you to my quarters… Mackey, Kidd" he said as he nodded them over and helped Sylvie stand up. "It appears the newest Casey is going to be making their appearance tonight."

 _"Oh my god!_ " Stella said excitedly before Sylvie glared at her to calm her down.

"You're in labour?!" Mouch suddenly announced having overheard their private conversation.

"What's _labour_?" Jack questioned with a scrunched-up face as he and Elliot hopped off the island and walked towards their mom. "Momma, are you ok?" Jack asked, the fear covering his and Elliot's faces as they realised that she was in pain.

Sylvie nodded, "Yeah, baby, I'm ok" she said as convincingly as she could. She let go of Matt's hold and bent down to her knees, holding out her arms as Jack and Elliot rushed to hug her. Sylvie took a moment to hug them tightly, trying to contain her emotions. She was so excited to meet their new baby, but she suddenly found herself becoming incredibly emotional over the fact that her boys weren't going to be her babies anymore. She had quickly discovered that the bond you share with your first baby – in her case, her first two babies – was an incredibly special one and she was afraid of how the boys might cope without her undivided attention. They were incredibly sweet boys, but they were also firecrackers. She worried that they just wouldn't take to having a new baby around. As curious as they were about their new brother or sister, she feared the reality of it would hit them hard.

"Boys, why don't you keep helping Uncle Joe in the kitchen? Mom's going to need some of those snacks when they're done." Matt told them after giving them a moment together. They reluctantly nodded their heads before running back into the kitchen, where Cruz was waiting to distract them as best he could.

Matt quickly helped Sylvie to her feet and instructed Mackey and Kidd to meet him in his quarters with all that they needed to deliver this baby. As they walked to the room, Matt looked at Sylvie and realised she was about to burst into tears.

"Babe, what—"

"I can't be a good mother to three kids. What if my love and my attention won't stretch far enough?" she panicked. 

Matt let out a little laugh, "You're worried that our kids are going to dislike you because you're not giving them enough attention?" he asked as Sylvie nodded her head, trying to control her tears that were a mixture of pain and fear. She'd had a similar 'how can I be a good mother?' panic just after Jack and Elliot were born, so he knew this was a blip, but she still needed the reassurance that she could do this and that she could do it well.

Matt quickly got her into the room and sat her down on the bed before knelling in front of her and taking her hands, "Our boys are so loving and sensitive and affectionate… I can pretty much guarantee that as they grow up, they'll resent us for giving them too _much_ attention" he joked as Sylvie let out a laugh and Matt wiped away her tears with his finger. "We're not always going to get this parenting thing right, but what I _do_ know is that we will never let our kids doubt how much we love them. If we can do that then everything will be ok." He encouraged.

"I love you" Sylvie said in a whisper as Matt stood and kissed her head.

"I love you more… now let's bring this baby into the world." He said as Sylvie swung her legs around onto the bed.

"Yeah, I uh, I think I'm crowning…" she said as Matt's eyes widened. That was _fast_. He checked Sylvie out and saw the top of their baby's head right there ready to come out.

"Mackey! Kidd!" he shouted frantically as Sylvie tried to control her breathing. Mackey and Kidd quickly rushed in and handed Matt the clean towels and water before going to Sylvie's head and coaching her to push.

Matt couldn't quite believe that he was actually delivering his own baby. It was a total out of body experience – and it also made him appreciate what his wife was going through to welcome their baby safely into the world.

"You're doing _so_ good baby, push" Matt told her as Sylvie pushed with all she had in her, holding on to Mackey and Kidd as if her life depended on it. After 5 minutes of pushing Sylvie was exhausted. Everything was happening so fast and she was in so much pain.

"I can't do it" Sylvie cried out, flopping her head back on her pillow.

"Sylvie, she's almost here, her head is out we just need one more push to get her shoulders free. You're _amazing_ you can do this." He told her with so much certainty - Sylvie Brett was the strongest woman he knew - she could do anything she set her mind to.  
  
Sylvie nodded her head as she felt another contraction come along. "Let's do this" she said as Mackey and Kidd helped her sit a little more upright and held onto her rightly as she squished her eyes together and gave one final push. Suddenly, the bold cries of their baby filled Matt's quarters. Sylvie opened her eyes and looked down at Matt who was beaming ear to ear. 

"We got a girl" he said softly, his eyes filled with total wonder as Sylvie smiled and laughed a little. She knew someone had to break the trend eventually.

Mackey and Kidd moved out of the way as Matt moved to the top of the bed and placed their baby in Sylvie's arms.

"Oh my god, she's perfect" Sylvie said as her eyes flooded with tears. "Hi baby" she cooed down at their daughter, her tears subsiding now that she was in her mother's arms. 

"I love you" Matt said quietly as he kissed Sylvie's head, the pride swelling in his chest over his wife and daughter.

 _Daughter_. He had a daughter. He had a little girl. His heart felt so full and he already knew that heart was hers completely.

"I love you too" Sylvie replied as they both gazed down at their littlest Casey with such awe and wonder.

* * *

A short while later, everyone was pacing the lounge in silence, waiting for news on Sylvie and the baby. They couldn't quite believe that she had gone into labour during the middle of a superstorm, yet it somehow seemed fitting. It was rare for the members of 51 to have a normal pregnancy and delivery. It was only a matter of time before they had a firehouse baby.

As they all waited nervously, they had all tried to keep the boys occupied but even they were getting a little antsy now. They wanted to see their mom and dad and were getting frustrated that they couldn't. They knew their mom was having the baby, but they didn't quite understand that that took time. Just as Elliot was about to storm off, the back door opened and Matt appeared.

"Hey twinnies" he greeted, hunching forward on his knees as the rushed over to their dad. "You want to come meet your baby sister?" he asked quietly as the rest of 51 beamed in the background at the news.

"Yeah!" they said happily as they ran ahead of their dad towards his quarters. 

Matt stood up and started following them, but not before calling back to the rest of 51, "I guess you knuckleheads can come too." he agreed as they all jumped up and followed him closely, desperate to get a look at the baby

When Matt got there, Elliot and Jack had already jumped up onto the bed and were peering at the baby in Sylvie's arms. He walked into the room, while the rest of 51 all fought to look through the door, the majority of them having to settle for the window.

"She's so _cute_ " Jack said, as if he was surprised.

Severide nodded his head, "she is stupid cute, like Disney princess cute…" he commented to the others. In his mind, all newborn babies looked like potatoes – but not Little Miss Casey. She was insanely beautiful.

"She _is_ very cute…" Matt confirmed proudly as he lifted the boys onto his lap and sat down on the bed. "And she's our very own fire baby who most definitely works on her own schedule." He said with a little laugh. She was due for another few weeks, but it appeared she had other plans.

Boden smiled, "She really did come flying into this world."

"How you feeling Brett?" Herrmann asked with a sympathetic smile. It was a pretty overwhelming labour, but her smile suggested she was doing ok.

Sylvie nodded and smiled, "Good. Really good." she insisted. "So, what do you think twinnies? You ready to be the best big brothers?" she asked her boys.

"I mean… I guess she's cute enough to keep… as long as she doesn't cry all the time." Elliot reasoned in typical Elliot fashion. He normally let logic drive his emotions.

"This is great Elliot!" Jack said happily. "We've got a new playmate! How did we not realise this before?!"

Everyone let out a little laugh at the boys and their reactions. Matt could already tell by how they were looking at their sister that they were going to love her a heck of a lot.

"Does our fire baby have a name?" Ritter asked as everyone looked on eagerly.

"Yeah… This is Annie Evelyn Casey" Matt said proudly as everyone smiled widely. A very pretty name for a very pretty baby. Sylvie especially couldn't wait to tell her all about her namesake - her grandma Annie. Grandma Annie was a force to be reckoned with and they had no doubt that little Annie Casey would be too.

"Welcome to 51 Annie Casey" Boden welcomed as everyone agreed happily. Their Firehouse 51 family felt complete


	9. Siblings

**Siblings**

It was a Thursday evening and Matt had arrived home following an extra half shift he had picked up at the station. His furlough wasn't quite in sync with Sylvie's, so he decided to pick up a few extra hours so that they could take the vacation they wanted together with the kids. As he stepped through the front door of their recently renovated home, he immediately heard his boys talking and laughing about something in the kitchen. He set his things by the coat rack before walking down the hallway and into the kitchen. The laughter was like music to his ears. Today's shift had been a tough one and by the end he wanted nothing more than to come home and hug his wife and kids and never let them go.

"Hi" he greeted softly as he approached them. They appeared to have just finished up their dinner as Sylvie was clearing their plates away. They all began with various choruses of "Hey" and "Hi dad". Matt frowned when he realised his two-year-old daughter wasn't at the table with them.

"Where's Annie?" he asked.

Sylvie nodded towards the play area off the dining room, "Playroom" she replied.

Matt eyed Sylvie curiously for a second. He could tell something was off with her. Anybody else would look and thing she was absolutely fine, but he knew better than that. He knew her through and through. She didn't seem her usual self. He was about to walk over to her and ask what was up when he heard his daughter's voice from the playroom.

"Jackie! Ellie!"

Elliot screwed up his face, "Does she have to call me Ellie?"

Matt snorted, "It's affectionate." He assured his son.

"She's can't say Elliot yet bud, just give her time" Sylvie added as she set the dishes in the sink.

" _Jackie! Ellie!"_ she shouted again. "Come play!" Annie could be demanding when she wanted to be, and this was a case and point.

"Go away Annie!" Jack shouted back, not wanting to be bothered by his sister right now.

"Hey." Matt said sternly. "When your sister calls for you, you go to her."

"Why? It's _annoying."_ Elliot said, backing Jack on this one.

"Boys, I'm serious." Matt said as the boys frowned. "Promise me – whenever she calls you, for whatever reason – promise me you'll go to her."

The boys nodded their heads, "Ok, promise." Elliot said.

"Jack?"

"Yeah, promise." He added before they left the table and ran into the playroom.

"What was that about?" Sylvie asked. Just like he had noticed something was off with her, she was quick to notice that something wasn't quite right with him either.

"It was just a call today… a little girl was trapped under a pole that had fallen in a park and she was calling out for her brother but he just kept playing with his friends, thinking that it wasn't that big of a deal. She clipped an artery in her leg and almost lost it. The guilt on the brother's face – I don't want the boys to ever feel like that in any kind of situation." Matt explained as Sylvie nodded sympathetically. As soon as it happened, Matt couldn't help but think of his kids. He wanted to make sure they would be there for each other through thick and thin. "I don't want Annie to feel let down." He continued. "They're her brothers – they're going to be the ones by her side when we're not. And she's going to be the one by _their_ side too."

Sylvie held out her hand, "Come here" she said as Matt took her hand and she pulled him towards the entrance to the playroom. They stopped and watched their kids as they played together and laughed together as if they hadn't just rolled their eyes and groaned 2 minutes ago. Sylvie wrapped her arms around one of Matt's.

"Our kids have such a light in their eyes when they're with each other. From that alone I know they will always have each other's backs. Through thick and thin" Sylvie said with confidence as Matt nodded his head.

"Why are you so down today?" Matt asked quietly in return.

Sylvie rested her cheek against Matt's arm, "Scott called."

Matt nodded his head courtly. Things had started off ok between Sylvie and Scott. Julie's death had been a huge blow for them both despite Sylvie only knowing her for such a short amount of time, and it had been something for them to almost bond over as strange as it sounded. Sylvie had been a really active part of her sister's life, but over the years they had drifted. Scott moved back to Rockford, Sylvie started a family of her own, and that bond wasn't as secure.

"What did he want?" he asked as Sylvie turned and walked back into the kitchen.

"He found an old trinkets box of Julie's in the attic. It was full of some of my baby stuff, photos and things. He figured I might want them." she said as she reached into her bag and handed Matt the photos. "He put in some photos of Amelia too." she said as Matt looked through them until he found the photos of Sylvie.

"God, you look just like Annie" he said with a smile. Annie really was the spitting image of her mother, but of course she had already mastered Matt's furrowed brow look.

Sylvie let out a laugh, "My doppelganger"

"What are you going to do?" he asked as he set the photos down on the kitchen island.

"Well I wasn't going to do anything, but then your little speech about siblings just got me thinking…" she said. "My brother is there for me through thick and thin" Sylvie said gratefully. Her elder brother Tom was awesome. He was the best brother and the best uncle and Sylvie couldn't ask for more – and she knew in her heart that her little sister deserved that too. She was now almost 10 years old. She deserved to have a big sister watching her back. "Amelia deserves that too. Maybe she deserves someone to watch out for her the way Tom watches out for me or the way Jack and Elliot watch out for Annie. Maybe she just needs a sister."

Matt smiled at her softly, "Yeah, maybe."

"So you think it's a good idea to reach out?" Sylvie wanted to do this, but she wasn't entirely sure it was the right thing to do. She didn't want walk in uninvited on the life Amelia had and she didn't want to half-heartedly do this. She was either going to be an active and constant presence in her life or not at all. She didn't deserve anything half-hearted.

Matt walked around the counter and hugged her, allowing her to rest her head against his chest and just listen to his steady heartbeat.

"I think she's a kid who would be lucky to have you in her life, so if that is something you want, I will support you. I know this is something you want to do and even if it's something Amelia doesn't want - it's better to say that you tried rather than not at all." He advised. "And you're very good and striving for the good and making sure it all works out, so I don't really see how this could be any different."

He felt Sylvie smile against his chest, "What did I do to deserve you?"

"I ask myself that question everyday--" he teased.

Sylvie punched him lightly in the stomach causing him to groan lightly and laugh. "Watch it Captain…"

"Daddy!" Annie called as she stuck her head around the wall. "Why you no tell me that you here?" she asked with the classic Casey furrowed brow. She'd finally torn herself away from her toys for long enough to realise that he dad was home.

Matt smiled, "I'm sorry baby." He said as he released Sylvie from his hold and walked over to his daughter, scooping her up when she reached her arms out to him. He hugged her tightly as her blonde ringlets covered his face.

Annie pulled back from him and looked at him curiously, "Why are you smiling?"

"Because you are just so very pretty." He complimented as he knocked his nose against hers causing her to giggle.

"It's cause I look like mommy and she's the prettiest person in the world." She whispered to him with wide eyes.

Matt nodded, "She definitely is"

"You can let go now daddy" Annie told him matter of factly, as she wiggled out of his arms and ran back to her brothers.

"How could something so _sweet_ keep us up every night crying for the first 5 months of her life?" Matt asked as he turned back to Sylvie who quirked an eyebrow.

"That – is an excellent question… and sadly one we will never have the answer to." She responded. "But… she's grown out of that crying through the night phase. In fact – I reckon it's a little past her bedtime… oh and Jack and Elliot's too" she said with a teasing smirk as she walked towards him. "What do you say we put them to bed, crack open a bottle of wine, have a semi-date night?" she suggested as she wrapped an around the back of his shoulders and looped her fingers through the belt hooks in his trousers, teasing her lips dangerously close to his.

Matt gulped; "Ok Caseys!" he called before rushing into the playroom. "Bedtime!"

"No way!" Jack protested. It was far too early for bed.

"Dad's rules, bed, now" Matt told him as he scooped a giggling Annie up under his arm.

" _Mom!"_ Elliot called as he ran into the kitchen looking for his mother's support.

The boys protested for a full 45 minutes before Matt and Sylvie managed to get them up the stairs. It then took a further 30 minutes to get them into bed and then a 10 minute story to get Annie to fall asleep. When they finally left Jack and Elliot's room, they collapsed onto their bed. They lay on their backs in silence, just staring at the ceiling while Matt absentmindedly played with Sylvie's hand.

"We jinxed ourselves." Sylvie said after a while. "We said it was so awesome seeing them play together and then we disrupted it. We only have ourselves to blame."

"This is the most exhausting job I have ever done. Being a parent." Matt added.

"Agreed." Sylvie said with a snort. "But I wouldn't exchange it for the world."

Matt turned his head and looked at her, "Me either."

"… I'm going to call Scott tomorrow." Sylvie told him quietly.

Matt smiled softly, "I'm glad."

Sylvie rolled over and sprawled across Matt as he held her closely.

"This feels much better than wine on the couch would have" Sylvie said sleepily.

Matt was about to agree – but a little voice shouted from down the hallway.

"Momma! Dadddddy!" Annie called. "Can I have another story?!"

"Annie, be quiet!" Jack shouted back.

" _You_ be quiet!" Annie responded.

"Why do you two have to be _so annoying?!"_ Elliot joined in.

"Speak for yourself _Ellie_ " Jack taunted.

" _Don't_ call me that!"

_"MOM!"_

"I just wanted a story!"

_"DAD!"_

Sylvie and Matt simultaneously sighed. "Greatest job in the world…" he mumbled before Sylvie moved off him and he got up, walking towards the door to stop the screaming match that was going on down the hall.

" _The best."_ Sylvie added quietly, smiling softly to herself. The shouting matches, the pushing of each other's buttons – she wouldn't have it any other way because it was a sign to her that they would be by each other's sides through everything. The bickering was part of their love and friendship and she couldn't be more grateful that she got to witness it.

There was no doubt in her mind that the Casey siblings would always be a force to be reckoned with.


	10. Tummy Bugs

**Tummy Bugs**

Like her mother, Annie Casey had always been a morning person. Her smile was always bright and she conversed with ease. She even felt her most productive first thing. Sometimes, she even got up earlier than required to finish off some homework (much to the disbelief of Jack who couldn't even do his homework at a ' _reasonable time of the day_ '). That didn't mean, however, that she didn't have off days - and _today_ was one of them. Sylvie had woken her up for school an hour ago and as soon as she had woken up, she felt completely miserable. Every muscle in her body ached as she sulked down the stairs, the usual spring in her step gone. Her stomach was flipping, just waiting for the opportune moment to throw up its contents. There was no way she could go to school like this.

She slumped into the kitchen, her blonde curls piled on top of her head in a bun, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She was thankful she didn't have to go further in search of her parents, as she found Matt standing at the island looking at something on his phone. Annie's head fell against the door frame with a thud, causing Matt to look up at her with a frown.

"Ann come on, you're going to be late for school, go get dressed." he told her before looking back at his phone, trying to finish replying to an email regarding a new construction gig he had gotten. Since he made chief over ten years ago, he didn't do much construction work as he didn't have time, but he took on some smaller projects where he could.

"Daddy I _can't_ " she whined from the door frame. "I feel like there's an elephant on my head and the smell of the toast that was just made in here? I think I might _vomit_." She grumbled as she scrunched up her nose and tired to keep her gag reflex in check.

Matt walked around the island and placed his hand on her forehead, feeling that she had a temperature.

"You do feel hot." He sympathised.

"Don't listen to her dad, she's just trying to get out of her algebra test today." 18-year-old Jack said as he bounded in the kitchen, hopped onto the island and bit into an apple.

Annie glared at her brother, "Shut up Jack, I actually have a work ethic unlike _some_ people we could mention." She shot back, before resting her cheek on Matt's arm. Jack wasn't a waster in school, but he certainly wasn't reaching his full potential. He just felt like he wanted to be out exploring the world rather than stuck behind a desk, looking at it through a window.

"That's no way to talk about Elliot, Ann." Jack responded without missing a beat as Annie rolled her eyes.

Sylvie then came into the kitchen and immediately sighed at Jack's position on the island, "Jack you do see the perfectly good island stools right in front of you, right?" she questioned as Jack silently slipped off the counter and onto one of the stools.

"Annie's pretending to be sick to get a day off." Jack blabbed, trying to take any potential heat off him.

Sylvie sighed, "I don't think she's pretending, Elliot's been throwing up all morning."

"Ugh. _Fantastic."_ Annie grumbled as she pushed herself off her dad. "Excuse me while I go thank him for this." she finished before sulking back upstairs.

"So… I guess we should all stay at home today. It's super likely that we'll all get this bug so it's best to keep it contained –" Jack began. He was always willing to chance it to get a day off school, but his parents weren't falling for it.

"Nice try, school, now." Matt instructed.

Jack sighed and lifted his car keys off the counter. "I've got football practice after school and then we're heading to the diner, I won't be late." He said as he quickly kissed his mom goodbye.

"Be home on time to do your homework Jack!" Sylvie shouted as the front door slammed shut. "Yeah, he'll pretend not to have heard. I'm going to call in sick today, I don't really want to leave them when they're like this." Sylvie said as she picked up her phone. She'd taken an extra shift today at the firehouse, so it wasn't a huge deal if she missed it.

"No, you go. Today was a paperwork day for me anyway." Matt insisted. He had just finished up a construction project and was now left with the tedious filing and billing.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Ok… call me with updates regularly." She asked anxiously. She really hated leaving her babies when they were sick – even if they were teenagers.

"I will" He promised as he quickly kissed her. "I love you."

"I love you too" she replied with a smile as she left the house.

Matt got to work gathering some water and saltines to ensure that they at least stayed hydrated and had something in their stomachs. He made his way upstairs and saw Annie wasn't in her room. As he walked down the hall he found her and Elliot in Elliot's bed, staring blankly at the laptop at the end of it that they were streaming a movie on.

"What are you watching?" he asked as he set the drinks down.

"I have no idea… it came on automatically and neither of us have the energy to change it." Elliot told him in a strained voice.

"Daddy I think this is the end. Tell mom I love her." Annie dramatically said as she grabbed her dad's hand.

"You two are worse than when you were sick as kids." Matt teased with a snort as he affectionately kissed Annie's hand.

Elliot glared, "You try chucking up your insides for a morning and come back to me old man."

 _"Old?_ Has Uncle Hermann taught you nothing? You never ridicule age…" Matt joked, knowing that it was one ball busting category that Hermann said was off limits in the firehouse.

Suddenly, the front door opened and they heard some heavy footsteps along the hallway and stairs. They all looked at the door to Elliot's room and saw a very pale Jack standing there.

"… I threw up in the school parking lot." He revealed, clearly a little embarrassed by it.

"Oh my _god"_ Annie howled, giving the best laugh she could muster. "This is going to make me vomit but it is _so_ worth it." She said as she tried to control her laughter at her brother's misfortune.

"Shut up Annie…" Jack grumbled as he pushed Annie into the middle of the bed and lay down beside her.

"Ok, stay put, I'll grab towels and water and whatever else." Matt told them. He had a feeling that playing nurse all day wasn't going to be much fun.

* * *

The day only got worse for the Casey kids and their illness. They were constantly vomiting, their temperatures were through the roof and Matt wondered how it was possible for them to be worse patients as teenagers than as little kids.

"How are they doing?" Sylvie asked down the line to Matt as he washed his hands. He'd been doing it constantly today. No way was he catching this bug.

"They're ok, they haven't thrown up for an hour so I guess that's good." He replied.

"My poor babies—"

 _"Dad!_ Dad can you get me some water please?" Annie called from down the hall.

"Annie stop shouting and use your phone, my head is ringing!" Jack shouted back from his room.

Elliot scoffed, "can't be that bad if you're shouting back you idiot."

"Stay out of this Elliot."

_"Dad!"_

"Shut up Annie!"

Matt sighed as his kids continued to shout at each other through the walls. "Babe I gotta go, they're losing the plot." He said as he hung up before Sylvie could even say bye. He stormed into Annie's room first, "Elliot's room, now." He sternly told her as Annie frowned and sulked into her brother's room. "You too Jack!" he called as he banged on Jack's door.

They all walked into the room and climbed onto Elliot's bed, making sure to shove each other about a little in the process. Matt stood at the end of the bed and folded his arms.

"Annie, how old are you?" Matt asked his daughter.

"… is this a trick question?" she asked as she looked between her brothers and father, entirely confused.

"Just answer the question."

"…14."

"Boys, how old are you?"

"18…" the mumbled at the same time.

Matt nodded, "that's funny, you say 14 and 18 but you've been acting like three-year olds all day!" he chastised. "I know you're sick and I know that sucks, but you're Caseys. We don't mope around, we fight things head on. We keep our chins up even if it's just a tummy bug."

Annie sighed and dropped her previously folded arms onto the bed, "Yeah you're right this isn't like us."

"Actually the bickering is very on brand—" Jack told them as Annie and Elliot glared at him. "… but yeah, we don't mope. We're not mopers."

"Everyone has their weak spot dad. Ours is that we don't suffer well." Elliot reasoned.

"Maybe so, but I'm not going to listen to it anymore. I'm going downstairs and I don't want to hear a single word being said in a raised voice." Matt warned them. "Is that clear?"

"Crystal…" they all replied simultaneously before Matt courtly nodded and left the room.

"God, I felt like one of his firefighters. Is he always so… _chief-like?"_ Annie asked as she scrunched up her face.

" _I heard that"_ Matt called from the hallway as they all sulked further into the bed.

"Terrifying." Jack agreed.

* * *

Later that evening, Sylvie arrived home and rushed in to see her babies.

"I'm home!" she called but didn't get a response. She walked through the house and thought that it was eerily quiet. She eventually found her husband lying fast asleep on the sofa. She smiled sweetly, figuring the day must have been a taxing one.

She sat beside him on the edge of the sofa and ran her fingers through the tips of his hair, stirring him awake. As he got a grasp of his surroundings he smiled softly when he realised his wife was sitting in front of him.

"You look like an angel." He told her in a sleepy voice.

Sylvie let out a laugh, "Well you look like a man who's barely alive. What happened today?"

"Your kids are monsters when they're sick."

 _"My_ kids?" she asked with another laugh, wondering why all of a sudden they were just hers.

"I'm disowning them for the day… way too much shouting around the house." He told her as he ran his hand up her arm.

"I see… where are the little monsters anyway?" she asked.

Matt sat up a little and contemplated. Come to think of it, he hadn't heard a peep from them for the past 4 or so hours – and he definitely hadn't been asleep for that long.

"They're so… _quiet._ " He said before bouncing off the sofa and going upstairs with Sylvie in tow. "When they were little and things were quiet it was never a good sign, this can't be good."

"Honey they're sick and they're also teenagers, I doubt they're hanging from the curtain poles." She reminded him.

Matt stuck his head into Annie's room and then Jack's, seeing they weren't there. They finally got to Elliot's room and as Matt walked in he paused in his steps and took in the scene in front of him. Jack, Elliot and Annie were all fast asleep on Elliot's bed, snuggled under the duvet, looking like perfect little angels.

"I—" Matt began, not even knowing what to say.

Sylvie came into the room and immediately rested her hand over her heart, "They were just the _sweetest_. How could you call them monsters?!"

"Maybe they're not so bad…" Matt said, his heart warming at the scene in front of him. It drove them a little nuts how their kids got at each other's throats sometimes – but they knew that no matter what, they would always have each other's backs. That beyond the petty bickering they would always stand by each other. They were siblings but they were also the best of friends and that was all they could ever want for them.

"Hm… they're pretty great. We did good Casey." Sylvie told him with a wink.

"Yeah we did…" he said as he turned around and looked at her. "If you'll excuse me… it's my turn to vomit now." He said as he rushed out of the room.

 _Stupid bug_. He made a mental note to thank his kids for this one later.


	11. How do I Love Thee?

**How Do I Love Thee?**

It was a Thursday morning and after grabbing a quick coffee, Sylvie made her way towards the ambulance to do a supply check. She didn't get very far, however, before she felt a hand grab onto hers and pull her into the turnout room. Once she steadied herself from the sudden pull, she met a pair of blue eyes that she loved more than anything in the world. 

She smirked at her boyfriend; "What are you doing?" she asked as Matt's arms snaked around her waist and he returned her smirk.

"I just saw you walking by and just felt the _extreme_ urge to kiss you" he told her as his lips hovered dangerously close to hers.

"Is that so?" she asked quietly, continuing to tease one another. "It's very unlike you Captain Casey… sneaking off into the turn out room for a make-out session." She said, teasing him for his normally straight and narrow ways.

"I won't tell if you won't."

" _Deal."_

Matt took the plunge and began kissing his girlfriend as if it was the only thing keeping them alive. Sylvie quickly reacted to his deep kisses as her hands steadied themselves around Matt's neck. They'd been together for a little over a year now and Matt could safely say that he loved her with everything that was in him. Ever since their argument in the bunk room that led to unexpected confessions, neither of them had looked back. They had their apartment together, they had their rhythm as a couple - and nothing had felt more right. Even their petty disagreements over living room furniture when they first moved in together felt right.

Over the years, Sylvie had always wondered why her relationships never worked out. She often felt like it was her fault and she just wasn't a relationship person. But in her heart of hearts she just knew that wasn't true. She had so much love to give – she just hadn't found the right person to give it to yet. Little did she know, the right person was standing right in front of her this whole time. They just had to wait for the right moment to let this love into their lives. It was like an invisible string had tied them together and pulled them closer and closer until this moment in time. She found someone to be goofy with, she found someone who boosted her confidence, she found someone who loved her like she'd never been loved before. She'd found a partner for life, and the rest of her life was looking pretty damn great with him by her side.

Sylvie took a breath and smiled as Matt kissed down her jaw and neck, "You're in a _mood_ " she commented. As much as she was enjoying this, Matt did seem giddy today. He'd been unusually chirpy this morning, but also a little on edge. Like he was over caffeinated or something.

"What?" he mumbled against her skin.

"Not a bad one, but a mood. A different mood… a _good_ mood." She said as Matt's head shot up with a quirked eyebrow.

"Is this your way of telling me that you think I'm grumpy?" he asked.

Sylvie sniggered, " _No_ , I'm just saying you're in an overly good mood... what's your story Casey?"

"Can't a guy just be in a good mood?" he said as he rested his hand over his heart in fake offence.

" I've known you for a long time Matt Casey. I know your tells. _Something_ is up." She said with narrow eyes. "You're smiley, a little awkward, you really did not know what do with your hands this morning when you were making breakfast—"

 _"Awkward_?"

"In a really cute way, I promise--"

Matt went to protest against Sylvie's claims but the bells went off calling all units to a house fire nearby.

"Duty calls" he said as he quickly stole another kiss before they rushed out onto the floor.

"Hey Captain" Sylvie called as he opened the truck door and looked back at her.

"I love you and I will get to the bottom of why you're being shifty." She told him with her normal, beaming smile that made him melt.

"I'm not being shifty!" he responded. "And I love you too"

They soon arrived at the scene of the fire and quickly assessed what was going on. Engine, truck and squad quickly got to work to get the families out and the fire stopped, diligently following Boden's orders.

 _"Chief!"_ Sylvie heard over her radio. _"I got some gas cylinders down here that are going to blow, we gotta get out of here, now!"_

"Ok everybody out, let's go!" Boden ordered. 

Sylvie began to panic as she looked over to the house, waiting for Matt to come out the door. She saw him rush out with a little girl in his arms and absentmindedly took a step towards him. Before she could check that he and the little girl were ok, there was a huge blast that sent everyone flying to the ground.

* * *

Matt lay on the ground for a few seconds trying to get his bearings. His ears were _ringing_ from the explosion and everything felt in complete disarray.

 _"Captain! Captain!_ " he heard muffled voices shout around him. He looked up and found Stella looking at him, trying to get his attention. "Are you ok Cap?"

"Where's the little girl?" he immediately asked. He may have felt a little out of it, but he could still remember he came out with that girl and she had some pretty bad burns.

"She's ok, Foster's got her but uh—" Stella began, pausing and swallowing a lump in her throat as Matt got to his feet. She didn't know how to say this without freaking him out.

"What? What is it?" he asked. His mind immediately jumped to Sylvie. The look on Stella's face was painting a picture. He desperately looked around him to find her, but he couldn't see her. "Where is she?" he asked in a deeply quiet voice. Stella didn't even have to ask who _she_ was. She could tell by the look on his face he was looking for his girlfriend.

"Some debris came flying at the ambo. Foster managed to take cover behind it, but Sylvie was walking towards the house when the explosion came and she was knocked backwards. The debris hit her head—" Stella tried to explain as calmly as possible as she could see Matt's breathing become more and more ragged.

 _"Where is she?_ " he asked again, this time the desperation in his voice was evident.

"She was out cold Casey and bleeding pretty badly. They've taken her to med." Stella said.

Matt tried to hold his emotions together as he looked around him, not knowing what to do. He had a job to do here, he had a job to _finish_ – but how could he when Sylvie was being rushed to med with a head injury? His mind was on anything but this job.

"Casey!" he heard Boden shout. "Take my buggy. Go to med. We'll finish up here and be right behind you. That's an order." He made clear, just in case Matt felt conflicted about leaving – but he didn't. He would have gone even if Boden had have said no.

Matt threw his coat and hat down on the path and grabbed Boden's keys before jumping in the buggee and speeding away. When he got there, he felt completely out of it, but his feet did the work for him, leading him where he needed to go. He walked through the doors of the ED and was immediately met by Maggie.

"Matt--"

"Where is she?" he asked for what felt like the hundredth time that day. He didn't think he'd managed to say anything else since the explosion.

" _She's ok."_ Maggie made clear. "We've just sent her for a head scan, but she is awake and alert. _She's ok_." she repeated clearly to make sure that Matt comprehended. He didn't really seem to be in a great frame of mind right now, understandably so.

Matt let out a breath that he didn't realise he was holding. His eyes were filled with tears and he put his hands on his hips to calm himself down.

"When uh - when can I see her?" he managed to ask as his voice cracked. 

"She shouldn't be too much longer, why don't you wait in the family room, get yourself something to drink?" she suggested as Matt nodded. "Do you feel ok, I'm guessing you were at the explosion site too?" she asked as she led him to the room and practically forced him into a chair. 

Matt nodded, "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, not a scratch on me." It seemed totally ridiculous that he was ok and Sylvie wasn't. He was the one in the fire after all. How could this be happening right now? His good mood had completely shifted and it just felt cruel. Cruel but also typical. Just as something exciting was happening in his life, the universe found a way to screw it up for him.

"Ok. Just let me know if you need anything, I'll come get you when Sylvie's back, ok?"

Matt mindlessly nodded his head, his mind filled with Sylvie's smile from this morning. It was an image he never wanted to be erased from his mind. Her smile was infectious, her joy was infectious - and he _just_ wanted to call her _his_. His hand drifted to the box resting in his pocket, saying a silent prayer that he would get the chance to do so.

* * *

"Matt? Matt?"

Matt's head shot up at the sound of his name. Maggie was standing at the door with a comforting smile on her face. "Sylvie's back. She's asking for you."

Matt bolted out of the room and towards Sylvie's bay, the relief rushing through his body at her lying there with her eyes closed, looking shockingly peaceful for someone who had just been on the outskirts of an explosion.

He walked over to her and sat on the edge of the bed. He took one of Sylvie's hands in his and ran the other over her hair, brushing past the bandage on her forehead covering what he assumed was a stitched up cut. His touch stirred her awake. When she came to her senses, she smiled as best she could to show just how happy she was to have him beside her. Somehow, he instantly made her feel better without really doing anything at all.

"Hi" she greeted quietly.

"Hi… you scared the hell out of me." He told her as he kissed her head and tried to stop himself from bursting into tears. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so scared. The thought of losing her was just too much to bear.

"I'm ok" she assured him as he rested his head against hers.

"I just – the thought of losing you. I feel like my heart is being ripped out of my chest. I – I can _never_ lose you." He told her desperately. He'd never been great with words, but somehow, Sylvie made it easy to say what was on his mind. 

Sylvie reached a hand to rest on his cheek, "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. It was just a laceration and I have a concussion, but no major fractures or bleeding. I'm fine."

Matt kissed down her cheek before lifting his head to look at her. He had plans. Nothing huge, nothing elaborate, but plans none the less… but his heart was screaming at him to do it now. Why _not_ now?

"Marry me." He whispered as Sylvie suddenly felt a lot more alert.

_"What?"_

"You and I, we – we fit. We fit perfectly and it's easy, yet so passionate and _real._ " He told her as Sylvie eyed him curiously. "And as soon as I let the love I felt for you into my heart, I realised why it didn't work out with anyone else." Matt told her as he tightly clutched her hand.

"Matt—"

"I wake up every morning beside you and my heart immediately skips a beat. It skips a beat that someone as good as you would want to be with me. I told you a little while back that you would find what you wanted in life, because that's exactly what you deserve – and I really hope that I can be what you want Sylvie Brett. I'm not promising that things will always be perfect, but I can promise you that I will always love you with everything that is in me." He told her as Sylvie felt a stray tear spill down her cheek. "I would love nothing more than to call you my wife. You are everything and I uh – I had something a little different planned out for this…" he said as he reached into his pocket and lifted out a small, velvet black box.

"Oh my god, that's why you were acting weird earlier" Sylvie said, putting things together. They'd talked about marriage countless times before and how it was something they both wanted but it never clicked with her that that was what he was thinking about this morning. That this was what had sent him into such a good mood. He was planning on proposing to her tonight or after shift tomorrow just - _soon_. 

Matt smirked, "I'm glad you remember little miss concussion…" he teased.

Sylvie returned his smirk, "I hope I never forget the look you had on your face this morning… it's a look I know is only reserved for me." She told him as Matt nodded his head. She was completely right. It had been a long time since he'd looked at somebody even a _fraction_ of the way that he looked at Sylvie.

"And it always will be." He replied. He got off the bed and got down on one knee, opening the black box to reveal the most perfect platinum ring with a delicate oval shaped diamond in the centre. "Sylvie Evelyn Brett… will you marry me?"

 _"Yes_." she said without skipping a beat. "A thousand times yes." She knew that this was it for her. She didn't doubt it even in the slightest. Matt Casey was the one – and boy did she feel lucky.

He slipped the ring on her finger before hugging and kissing her. Suddenly, they heard cheers behind them as they turned their heads and saw Firehouse 51 all standing outside of the room. They'd clearly come to see how she was and accidentally ran in on a proposal. They couldn't help but laugh at the interruption. Most would be frustrated, but to them it seemed fitting that they were celebrating this moment in a hospital bed surrounded by people who had become family.

"I love you Matt Casey. With everything in me." Sylvie told him quietly, not wanting everyone to hear this personal confession. She knew he would be the only person she would make such declarations to for the rest of her life, so she wanted it to always be for his ears and his ears only.

"I love you too" he replied just as quietly before kissing her and getting more cheers from their family behind them.


	12. Courageous Companions

Matt stood in his bedroom and stared out the window onto the streets of Chicago. It was a beautiful summer's day, the sun was shining through the trees and Matt knew it was reflective of the day ahead.

_He was getting married today._

When Gabby left, he never thought it would be possible to find a love like that again, let alone one that made his heart soar even further. He found that kind of love and _more_. He found someone who made him realise that when you were with the right person, love was easy. It was natural and beautiful and passionate and so fulfilling.

But the most remarkable thing about this love is that it had been right in front of him for years and he didn't even realise. It crept up on him without any warning. He couldn't have predicated that Sylvie Brett would soon be so much more to him than a colleague and a friend. He couldn't have predicated that she would soon be everything to him. She was his best friend, his confidant, his person. He didn't seek to love her, but he fell hard and the moment he did he didn't look back. He loved her with every fibre of his being. So he didn't like to think that he accidentally fell in love with her – to him that implied a regretful mistake. There was nothing he regretted about this. It was just meant to be, and it made all the sense in the world.

He thought back to the first time he met her. It was her first day at 51 and he didn't think much of the meeting at the time. It was clumsy and a little strange, but the more he thought about it, the more it made him laugh. Hindsight was a wonderful thing.

_**September 2015** _

Matt was walking through the hallways of the firehouse looking at some paperwork from their previous shift's calls. The house was still reeling from Shay's death – there was subdued atmosphere amongst this make-shift family and understandably so. They were also due to be getting a new, permanent paramedic today (permanent granted that she fit in with this often-obscure group of individuals.) Matt hoped that the new paramedic would fit in well, especially with Gabby. She'd was broken after Shay's death. To lose a partner like that was no easy thing, so he hoped that her new partner could be a true friend to her like Shay was.

Suddenly, as Matt turned the corner in the hallway, he ran headfirst into someone. His nose smacked against the person's forehead in a rather rhythmic fashion as their heads flung back and their hands jumped to bashed features.

"Ow…" they both groaned at the same time, their eyes firmly closed, her bag on the floor and Matt's files scattered at his feet.

Matt's eyes were still closed when the person spoke up, his eyes watering from the hit on his nose. "Oh gosh… I am so sorry, I had my head turned away when I was turning the corner which was really stupid and now your paperwork is all messed up and that's really not the impression I want to make on people here. I'm not normally this clumsy, it's just – first day nerves and all." She rambled as Matt finally opened his eyes and looked at the woman in front of him.

Matt had no idea why, but he felt something drop in his stomach when he looked at her. It was a brief feeling but it was there. It was like that feeling was trying to tell him something. She was pretty in a very cute way. She looked a bit like a doll. Bright blue eyes, dirty blonde hair, pretty smile.

"I'll just… yeah…" she said, feeling a little awkward that Matt was just looking at her and not saying anything. She bent down to pick up Matt's papers, just as he realised what he was doing.

"Oh here, let me—" he began, trying to make up for being so weird.

_Smack._

They managed to smack their nose and head in the exact same spot.

"Ow…" the both grumbled again as they both fell on their behinds, once again rubbing their bumps.

They looked at each other for a brief moment before they both started to laugh.

"You said it's your first day?" Matt asked as she quirked an eyebrow at him. That was what he managed to pick out from her ramble? She made a mental note that this guy must be a good listener.

"Yeah, I'm the new paramedic. Sylvie Brett" she said as she reached out a hand and shook Matt's. "I just moved here from Indiana, fancied a change of pace." she added.

Matt nodded his head and smiled, "It's nice to meet you, I'm Matt Casey, the lieutenant on truck… I'm a Chicago guy. Born and raised and forever will I be a Chicago guy." He joked as Sylvie smiled.

"Good to know Matt Casey. I'll remind you of that if you ever think to leave the windy city." She teased.

"That would never happen" he assured her. "I uh – I'm sorry for headbutting you" he apologised politely. "Well, you headbutted me, I-- nose butted you?" he questioned with a chuckle that Sylvie returned.

"Totally fine, it was my fault anyway, I wasn't looking where I was going. You're probably going to have a red nose for the rest of the day, you might want to ice it." she suggested as she nodded to his nose.

"Right back at you. You've got nice, circular red mark on your forehead. I guess solidarity is key in times like this." He mocked.

Sylvie paused and smiled gently at him, "You're funny." she complimented sincerely as Matt blinked a few times in surprise. Funny was not a word that had been used to describe him, well, ever. But apparently, there was something about Sylvie that turned him into a bit of a goof. "It's an important quality to have in a firehouse. It's an intense job, a little humour goes a long way."

"I agree" he replied. "If you think I'm funny, wait till you meet the others. I make them look like stand-ups." He said, thinking of Otis, Mouch, Hermann and Cruz, the true jokers of Firehouse 51.

"Well I'll look forward to meeting them." she said, the hopeful anticipation evident in her voice. She seemed young and fresh and keen - and it was exactly what this firehouse needed right now. Matt could already tell she was going to fit in perfectly.

"We should uh – we should maybe get off the floor…" he suggested as Sylvie looked down, entirely forgetting that they were sitting there.

"… right. Totally forgot that's where we were" she said with a little laugh as Matt gathered his papers and then held out his hand to help her up which she gratefully took.

Sylvie lifted her bag and began walking in the direction of the lounge. She suddenly stopped in her treks and turned round to look at him. "Uh – thanks." She said as Matt frowned.

"What for?"

"You're the first person I've met since I got here and already, I feel really comfortable here. It's kind of strange." she said with a little laugh. "I don't think I've ever met someone who could instantly make me feel like that." She confessed gratefully. She'd come from a small town, this was a whole new world to her and it made all the difference when people were kind.

"Happy to help" Matt replied in a classic Casey polite and serious way. He wasn't used to getting compliments, so he often didn't know how to take them. 

"I'll uh – I'll see you around Lieutenant" she said as she backed away, taking one last look at him before disappearing into the lounge to find Gabby.

Matt stood there for a brief moment, just thinking about what how strangely nice that moment was. It had put him in a better mood for the rest of shift. Sylvie had brought a little bit of sunshine into the Firehouse and it never ever went away.

Little did he know it was a moment that would be forever etched in his mind – and he was eternally grateful.

_**_

Matt didn't think of their meeting much of the subsequent years – but he always remembered the feeling he got from it. From that moment on, Sylvie was someone he always associated with goodness, light and comfort. She was someone he trusted implicitly and in all the years they'd known each other, that had never changed and he knew it never would.

There was a knock on the door as he turned around and Severide appeared behind him.

"You ready?" Severide asked with a smirk that Matt couldn't help but return.

"More than ready."

* * *

Before too long, Matt was standing at the top of the aisle in the beautiful roof top garden they'd chosen for their wedding. They wanted somewhere that overlooked their favourite city in the world but was picturesque and made them feel like they were standing in garden. As soon as they found this place, they knew it was the one.

Matt watched up the aisle, with Severide and Sylvie's brother Tom by his side. The music soon started, and Stella and Emily walked up the aisle in short, floaty light green dresses that were perfect for the summer. Only a few moments later, Sylvie appeared at the top of the aisle, her arm linked through her father's as he steadily walked her down the aisle.

So many eyes were staring right on Sylvie in awe. She looked effortlessly beautiful in her white gown. It dipped in the back, the material floating down her body rather than sitting snuggly and a small train following her behind. Despite all of the eyes on her, which in any normal situation would make Sylvie feel uncomfortable, she could not care less. She was focused on the blue eyes at the end of the aisle that she could see were brimmed with tears of pure joy and love, causing her own to well up too as she smiled brighter than she ever had before.

Sylvie was convinced that every relationship she'd ever have would be doomed to fail – but it took falling in love with Matt Casey to realise that wasn't true. She just hadn't been in the right relationships. The men who had come and gone from her life – Harrison, Antonio, Kyle – she'd constantly shaped herself to fit in with how they wanted her to be. But with Matt, she could just be herself. She didn't have to change a thing about her because he loved her exactly as she was. He made her feel so beyond loved and she was determined to spend the rest of her life making him feel the same. She got to the top of the aisle and her dad kissed her cheek before shaking Matt's hand. As Peter sat down, Matt took Sylvie's hands and smiled.

"You look so beautiful" he whispered for only her to hear.

Sylvie winked at him, "right back at you handsome."

After some introductions from the officiant, it was time for their vows.

"Matt" Sylvie began with a little laugh as he immediately smiled back. "You once said to me that you would place money on me finding exactly what I'm looking for because that's what I deserved. Little did I know that exactly what I was looking for was right in front of me. Because of you I wake up every morning with a smile on my face. I wake up confident that no matter what life throws at me I'll be ok because I'll have you right beside me to weather the storm. My strong, _sensible_ …" she said as everyone laughed lightly, "courageous, kind, compassionate love. Everything you have been able to give to me over the past few years is everything I have ever wanted. If it's what I deserve then I know it's what you deserve and more. So I promise to always make you smile in the mornings. I promise to be your strongest ally in conflict, your biggest fan in times of joy and _your_ courageous, compassionate companion for the rest of our lives. I love you more than I have ever loved before and I give you my heart to keep."

Every single guest was beaming with joy at Sylvie's beautiful words. Their love was so refreshing and beautiful and it gave people all the hope in the world that unconditional, exceptional love was possible.

"Matt, if you would please share your vows" the officiant instructed as Matt let out a breath before looking at Sylvie and smiling.

"This morning I was standing in my room, looking out the window and for some reason I started to think about the first time we ever met. I don't think anybody knows this story, but we had a bit of an unconventional meeting in that – we ran head first into one another on your first day." he explained as everyone let out a laugh. "It was clumsy, and it hurt like hell – but it was an oddly calming experience. When I looked at you for the first time I had the strangest feeling in the pit of my stomach. I didn't know it then, but it was like something was trying to tell me that you were about to become a very important part of my life, but I could never have anticipated just how important. You are my dearest friend and my deepest love and I am so thankful for you and all that you are every day. You've shown me a love that I didn't think was possible and it has pushed me to be a better man because of it. To be the best man that I can be for _you._ So I promise to love you every day without condition, to laugh with you when you're happy, to cry with you when you're sad. I promise to guide you when you ask for direction and push you to be the best version of yourself. I promise to never stop being your joyous, courageous, compassionate companion – because that is _exactly_ what you deserve. I love you Sylvie Brett. _Always_."

As Matt finished, Sylvie was desperately trying to keep the tears in her eyes. She was so overwhelmed by the love she felt and she hoped this feeling would never go away.

The officiant then asked for the rings as Severide quickly lifted them from his pocket and handed them over. Matt was honestly impressed he hadn't managed to lose them.

"With this ring" Matt began as he took the platinum, diamond encrusted band and slipped it onto Sylvie's finger. "I give you my heart as a promise to love you with all that I am."

Sylvie then lifted Matt's platinum ring and placed it on his finger, "With this ring, I give you my heart as a promise to love you with all that I am."

"By the state of Illinois I now pronounce you husband and wife – you may kiss your bride" the officiant said with a wide smile as Matt immediately moved forward and engulfed his wife in his arms, kissing her like it was the first time.

Their guests erupted in applause and cheers as confetti was thrown all around them. It had been the most perfect day, shared with the people they loved most in this world. They couldn't wait to see what life had in store for them in their courageous, compassionate companionship that was ready to weather rain and sunshine for the rest of their lives.


	13. First Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casey tries to get Annie to say her first words... enjoy!

**First Words**

Matt lay on the playroom floor, propped up on his elbows looking over at Annie as she sat in her baby bouncing chair. At 6 months old she was a bright, curious and incredibly beautiful baby. Her big blue eyes were captivating, and her head was adorned with the sweetest blonde ringlets. Her little laugh was infectious, and it was the perfect remedy after a rough day at work. 

Recently, as well as trying to get her to sit up on her own, Sylvie and Matt had been trying to coax her first word out for her. The war for the first mama and dad was _on._ It had been a tie with the boys. Jack said mama first, Elliot said dada, now this would be the decider.

Matt had spent all morning with Annie while Sylvie took the boys to their soccer game that Saturday morning. After some breakfast, they played a little and now Matt was determined to make her laugh until he had to put her down for a nap – and he was an expert at it. For someone who was fairly serious, he was a total goof with his kids. He was a natural at provoking hysterical laughter out of them for the stupidest of reasons. Today, he figured that if he could get Annie to laugh, he could get her on side and she would say dada first.

It didn't take long for him to make Annie laugh. He made faces, he played peek-a-boo, he blew raspberries on her little tubby belly and her cheeks and she laughed and laughed and laughed.

"You are just the sweetest baby in the world" he told her with a sense of admiration in his voice. How did he make such a perfect baby? He figured Sylvie's perfect genetics somehow cancelled out his.

"Let's see what new words we could maybe say today… dada?" he asked, but Annie merely sucked on her fingers and gave him a little smile. She knew who dada was and she loved him more than anything – but she didn't want to say it just yet.

"Ok maybe not…" he grumbled as he looked around him before spotting one of Jack's balls and lifting it up. "Ball?"

Again, she remained silent and continued to stare at Matt. As he contemplated the next word he would go for, he heard the front door open and heard Jack and Elliot talking about what he could only assume was their soccer game.

"Ok, one more word before your brothers come in and cause some mayhem…" he said as he reached behind the bouncer and lifted up a toy fire truck.

"… fire truck?" he questioned. He knew there was no way she would say it, but go big or go home, right?"

 _"ire!"_ Annie babbled as Matt's ears perked up.

"Oh my god… baby did you just say fire?"

 _"ire!"_ she babbled again as Matt sprung to his knees.

"You – you did, you said fire! Sylvie! Sylvie, come here!" he called as Sylvie came bursting into the room with the boys behind her.

"What? What's wrong?" she asked desperately.

"Annie just said her first word." He said proudly as he stood up and puffed his chest out.

Sylvie frowned, "And I missed it?" she whined.

"What did she say?!" Jack asked excitedly as he and Elliot sat on the floor beside her to say hello.

"She said _– fire."_ Matt announced as Sylvie quirked an eyebrow.

"Fire? She said fire?" Sylvie asked with a hint of disbelief in her voice. It seemed appropriate that a child of Matt Casey would have something fire related as their first word, but she hadn't even said mama or dada yet.

"Yep!" he said, popping the p. "My baby's a genius!" he said as he moved back to the floor with the boys as Sylvie got down on her knees. "Show momma and the boys baby" he told Annie as he lifted the fire truck. "Say – _fire_."

… Annie just stared at all the eyes around her and said nothing.

 _"Fire"_ Matt repeated again with encouraging eyes focused at his daughter.

 _"… ire"_ Annie babbled as Matt beamed and the other screwed up their faces.

"I don't know babe…" Sylvie said. It sounded just like a little bit of babbling.

"Yeah dad, I don't think _irrrrr_ is a word…" Elliot confirmed as Jack nodded in agreement.

"It's about sound you guys, not proper words, she's just a baby…" Matt said with a proud. "She is our little fire baby, she was born at the fire house so of course her first words are going to be fire related." He said as he picked her up from the bouncer and snuggled her close.

Sylvie smiled "Well if you heard fire who are we to argue?" she said as she stood up and quickly kissed both Annie and Matt. "Come on boys, bath time" Sylvie instructed as they jumped up and ran upstairs with Sylvie behind them.

Annie rested her head against Matt's shoulder as he lightly rubbed her back.

"And nap time for you Miss Casey" he told her as he too climbed the stairs. He walked into Annie's room and sat on the rocking chair in the corner to sooth her to sleep. He moved her so he was cradling her in his arms, her head rested against his chest and one of his hands gently rubbing her onesie clad foot. He hummed gently to her – she loved the vibrations of his deep voice from his chest.

She let out one final big yawn before mumbling, "da-ma"

Matt stopped humming in a stunned moment of silence. He smiled lightly to himself. Da-ma it is then.

But whether it was mama, dada or fire… it really didn't matter. What mattered were these little moments, like rocking his baby to sleep, that he knew he would treasure for the rest of his life.


	14. Risk Takers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brett and Casey respond to an unexpected and heartwrenching call...

**Risk Takers**

"Hey" Matt greeted Sylvie as he fell in line with her in the hallways of 51. "Slow day, huh?" he asked. They'd been sitting around, checking equipment, filling out paperwork and doing anything but responding to calls.

Sylvie scrunched up her nose, "Yeah, I didn't want to say it out loud in case I jinxed it"

Matt snorted, "Clearly I don't have that concern..."

Sylvie remained silent as the continued to walk and Matt could instantly tell that something was off with her. She normally laughed at his stupid comments - no matter how lame they were.

"Are you ok?" he asked as he rested a hand on the hollow between her neck and shoulder.

"I just feel really guilty about leaving Elliot this morning." She said with a sigh as Matt pulled her to the side to talk a little more privately. "He was screaming and screaming Matt and we just _left_ him." It was like a switch clicked in Elliot's brain when he and Jack turned two. He hated it when his parents left in the morning and whenever they were out whether it was in Chicago or with friends, he clung to his parents and no one else. Occasionally Severide could convince him to play with him for a while, but it normally took a bit of work. Jack on the other hand was incredibly sociable and would spend time with just about anybody who would give him attention. This morning their nanny, Joanna, had to pull Elliot off Matt with a significant amount of force as he was in no mood for his parents to leave him (while Jack was practically pushing them out the door so he could get on with playing).

"It's just a little bit of separation anxiety. He'll be ok." He assured her as he moved a stray hair that had fallen onto her cheek.

Sylvie ran her hand over her forehead, "I don't know Matt, call it a mother's intuition or whatever but I just don't feel right about leaving him, I have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach."

Matt wasn't really sure what to say. Seeing Sylvie worried made him worry. He knew separation anxiety was something a lot of toddlers went through and while it was difficult to see his son upset, he was trying to reason with fact in order to calm Sylvie, but the more she protested, the harder it became.

"Are they at home right now?" Matt asked, knowing that Joanna often took them out in the afternoon to the shops or to the park. He figured it wouldn't hurt placing a call to make sure everything was ok – which he didn't doubt it would be.

"I tried calling her, but she didn't pick up, I figured she was driving or something –"

Suddenly, the bells went off calling ambo and truck to a play park nearby. They rushed over and jumped out, concerned that a little kid had been hurt. What they hadn't anticipated, however, was just how much this one would hit home.

"Matt…" Sylvie said as her face fell and the people in the park came into view. "That's Joanna." She pointed as Matt squinted his eyes and spotted their nanny. Sylvie shot past him and he soon followed behind.

"Oh my god, Sylvie, Matt, I've been trying to call you, I didn't even think that the call might go to your firehouse" Joanna said desperately as they approached with the rest of their crew behind them.

"What's going on?" Sylvie asked as she moved past Joanna and past the jungle gym where she spotted Jack knelling beside Elliot. As she looked at the scene it appeared that the roundabout had come off it's hinges and had tipped over, trapping Elliot's leg beneath it.

"Momma!" Elliot cried desperately as he spotted his mom.

"Matt!" Sylvie called as she rushed over to her boys and knelled beside them.

"Jack, come here" Matt said as he took in the scene. Jack rushed over to his dad and Matt scooped him up, checking him over once to make sure he was ok.

"The roundy-bout fell on Ellie dad" Jack said with wide eyes, clearly incredibly scared for his brother.

"It's ok bud, we're going to get him out." Matt encouraged as he kissed his son's head. "Gallo, Kidd—"

"We're on it boss, just stay with your boys" Stella told him as the rest of the truck got to work, knowing exactly what they needed to do. They could only imagine what sort of mind Brett and Casey were in right now. It definitely wasn't one to be thinking about rescue plans.

"You're ok baby, you're ok, momma and daddy are here we're going to get you out" Sylvie said to Elliot she ran her hands over his fair hair and kissed his head lingeringly. She was doing everything she could to calm him down while also keeping herself calm, yet she figured that no matter what she did it wouldn't feel like enough. "Mackey—"

"I'm on it partner, just stay with Elliot" Mackey made clear as she got to work assessing his leg.

Truck 81 worked seamlessly to lift the roundabout off Elliot's little leg. When they removed it, it didn't take long for Mackey to assess that his leg was definitely broken.

"Ok Elliot, you've hurt your leg as I'm sure you can feel" Mackey told him, hating what she was going to have to do next. "And I promise you we are going to make it all better and to do that we need to move it a little. This won't be the nicest feeling in the world, but it will only be for a second, ok?" she tried to encourage and remain as chipper as possible.

Sylvie held back her tears as Matt gulped, knowing that their son's screams were about to fill the air as Mackey put a splint onto Elliot's leg.

"Kidd" Matt called, wanting to shield Jack from his brother's pain. "Take Jack to med, we'll meet you there."

"No, dad, I stay with you, please!" Jack begged. He didn't want to leave the person he trusted most in this world during a scary situation.

"Aunty Stella is going to look after you for a little bit buddy, I promise I will be with you soon" he said as Stella took him away as he continued to scream for Matt. Matt tried to block out Jack's shouts and rushed over to Elliot to provide some extra comfort and care wherever he could. It was the strangest feeling being here as a firefighter but having to be a parent instead.

"Hey buddy" he said cheerily as Elliot's eyes somehow lit up amongst all this chaos at the sight of his dad.

"Daddy, my—my leg" Elliot choked out through his tears.

"I know, you're going to be just fine" Matt insisted as he took Elliot's little hand in between both of his.

As first responders, he and Sylvie were trained to be calm in all kinds of circumstances, but nothing could prepare them for seeing their child in such pain. Matt looked up at Sylvie and could immediately see the fear in her eyes. He gave her a quick and encouraging wink as his way of telling her that this would be over soon. Elliot would be fine and he would have a kick ass cast to prove it.

"Ok Elliot, take a big breath for me" Mackey told him as she prepared to move his leg.

Elliot took in a deep breath as Sylvie made sure to hold him steady in case he tried to wriggle from the pain. Mackey quickly moved his leg and set it in place as Elliot's screams echoed through the park and Sylvie bit her lip to stop her from crying.

"You did so good buddy. So, so good." Matt told him with a gulp as he squeezed and rubbed his hand, finding himself getting emotional too.

"A total superhero" Mackey said with a wink. "Let's get you to med" she said as the lifted Elliot onto the little back board and carried him into the back of the ambo and darted off to med.

* * *

In what felt like a lifetime later, Sylvie and Matt were finally bringing their boys home from med. X rays confirmed what they already knew – Elliot had broken his leg. It was a clean break and the doctors reset it and put him in a cast. Thankfully no surgery was needed.

On the drive home, Elliot and Jack had both fallen asleep in their car seats after what was no doubt an incredibly long day for them both. Trying to keep Elliot calm while they were in the hospital and trying to keep Jack occupied had proven a challenge, but not as big a one as anticipated. Jack was a lot more relaxed than usual. They figured it was because he didn't have Elliot to mess around with and he was worried about his brother. They were incredibly intuitive toddlers, particularly in regards to each other. So Jack just sat in the waiting area for kids with Stella and eventually Severide who called by to check in. He played away with his aunt and uncle with Matt constantly checking in on him.

Matt delicately balanced a sleeping Elliot in his arms as he unlocked the door and Sylvie followed in behind with a sleeping Jack.

"Put them in our bed" Sylvie instructed him as he nodded his head and climbed the stairs as quietly as he could. The last thing he wanted to do was to wake them up for another screaming match.

Matt set Elliot in the middle of the bed and made sure his leg was propped up on a pillow and Sylvie set Jack far enough away that he wouldn't kick it in the middle of the night.

"After today I never want them to leave my sight again" Sylvie said as she closed her eyes and let out a breath she didn't even realise she had been holding in.

"Yeah I know the feeling" Matt agreed as Sylvie walked over to him and hugged him, snuggling tightly into his chest. She'd spent all day comforting her son and now she needed some comforting herself. "But I think one of the best things a parent can do is let their child take risks. I know they're only 2—"

"And a half" Sylvie said, trying to help his point a little.

Matt chuckled as he tightened his arms around her and rested his chin on top of her head, "and a half… but their bones will heal and they'll wake up tomorrow and be the wild, brave boys they are, all because they know we'll be there to catch them when they fall, and when we're not – they'll know how to look after themselves, because we let them be wild while they were young."

"I am so thankful that they have a dad like you." Sylvie said quietly.

Matt smiled against her hair, "And a mom with your spirit will get them through anything. Your loving spirit will help them find their own. They'll look back on days like this and not remember the pain, but the comfort that their mother gave them."

"How do you always know the right thing to say?" Sylvie asked as she looked up at him.

"Because I have the greatest inspiration to draw from." He told her sincerely. He kissed across her cheek before he finally kissed her lips, feeling even more grateful than normal that this was his life and his family.


	15. Memories

**Memories**

" _Psst…_ _Casey. Casey!_ " Brett whispered to her husband as he lay asleep beside her. " _Matthew Casey, wake up!_ God, you sleep like the _dead."_ She grumbled as she continued to poke him the chest.

"Poke me in the chest again and see what happens." He grumbled half asleep. He'd heard Sylvie's first attempts to wake him up, but figured if he ignored her, she'd go back to sleep. They had a shift tomorrow, whatever she wanted him for could wait.

Sylvie quirked an eyebrow. She didn't _want_ to wake him up, but she _had_ to show him something. He'd thank her for showing him, she knew he would. She pouted and contemplated her next move. She liked a challenge and her curiosity got the better of her – what would he do if she poked him just once more? She pointed her finger and slowly lowered it to his chest, poking him firmly.

 _"Ok"_ he announced as he swiftly turned around and pulled Sylvie beneath him causing her to yelp in surprise as he fit perfectly between her legs. "If this a sex wake up call?" he asked.

Sylvie giggled, _"No!_ Though you're suddenly _very_ awake at the thought…" she said with a smirk.

Matt chuckled, "Well now that I am awake, we may as well take full advantage…" he said as he swiftly kissed her. Sylvie allowed herself to get lost in him for a moment, her hands running through his hair and her legs travelling further up his body, allowing him to sink closer towards her. "Though-" he began as he lifted his head from her lips and moved to her neck, "no more _yelping_ , we don't want to wake the monsters" he warned her, thinking that it wouldn't take much to wake the boys and Annie up.

Sylvie smirked, "Don't worry about that, they're downstairs." She said as Matt's head shot up and he propped himself up above her.

"Downstairs?" he questioned. It was 3am. Why weren't their kids in bed?

Sylvie nodded, "and you would know that if you'd just let me wake you up to tell you…"

"You mean this _wasn't_ a sex wake up?" he asked again.

Sylvie laughed, "I already told you no! But now that you've put the idea in my head, I will be taking you up on that offer as soon as you see what went on downstairs…" she said as she teased him with her lips for a moment before pushing him off her and bouncing of the bed.

Matt fell flat on his back with a sigh. What a _weird_ night.

"Come on Casey" Sylvie said with a giggle as she pulled him off the bed, threw a t-shirt at him and pulled him down the hallway and down the stairs.

"So, I was thirsty and we didn't have a glass up here so I went downstairs to get one and while I was down there I noticed a light on in the playroom" Sylvie explained as they walked through the kitchen towards the back room in their house. "I went to investigate and found this…" she said as they stopped by the door to the room and Matt looked in. His mouth fell open a little as he slowly walked in and took in the sight in front of him.

Jack, Elliot and Annie were all fast asleep on the floor – under a fort they had built from the pillows, blankets and sheets they could find around the house.

"Wh—what?" Matt asked. When on _earth_ did this happen?

"Apparently we're heavier sleepers than we thought…" Sylvie said with a grimace. "They somehow managed to sneak out of bed and build a fort all without making a sound… honestly I'm not even mad. I'm kind of impressed." she said with a nod of her head as she continued to survey the scene in front of her.

Matt chuckled to himself. His kids really were adventurous souls. They could have done this during the day, but they thought there was something much more exciting about doing it in the middle of the night while their parents were sleeping.

Matt pulled Sylvie against him and wrapped his arms around her from behind, kissing her head and securing his arms around her.

"I cannot begin to describe to you just how much love those kids fill my heart with." He told her quietly.

Sylvie smiled, "Yeah… we did pretty good in the kid department."

"It's little memories like this that I know I'll hold onto for the rest of my life." Matt told her sincerely. "I'll also hold onto the fact that they're going to wake up with terrible back aches." He said as he smiled against her head, thinking about the awkward angles they were all lying at. "And I just know – Jack will be the first to complain, Elliot won't say anything—"

"Strong silent type" Sylvie agreed.

"Oh yeah… and Annie, well, she'll tell the boys that they're being ridiculous, but walk around like an old lady for the rest of the day, not admitting that she's uncomfortable" Matt determined as Sylvie sniggered. Annie Casey had her whole household under her thumb. She was the sweetest four-year-old yet also bold and could easily command a room. Her parents knew she was destined for great things.

"You're right… these little memories are everything, huh?" Sylvie asked quietly.

"This family is everything." Matt added. " _You_ are everything." He said into her ear quietly.

Sylvie smiled as she turned around and wrapped her arms around Matt's neck, "Well while our monsters are getting sore backs, I think it would be perfectly acceptable for us to make use of an empty upstairs. Seeing as you're so wide awake too…" she teased as their noses brushed and their eyes lit up – just like they always did when they saw one another.

" _You're on."_ He agreed as he scooped her up causing her to laugh and swiftly carried her upstairs, ready to show her just how much he loved her.

* * *

The following morning, Sylvie stirred awake and reached to the opposite side of her bed to find it empty. She frowned and sat up slightly to see her husband getting dressed at the end of the bed. She looked at the clock. It was only 6am. They still had some time before shift started.

"Where do you think you're going Casey?" she asked as she sat up in bed, pulling the sheets up with her incase one of their kids decided to barge in.

"Boden called. He wants to meet with Severide, Hermann and me before shift." He told her.

Sylvie frowned, "I wonder what that's about"

Matt shrugged, "Probably something dull and procedural." He told her as he walked forwards her and sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry to leave you with the mess downstairs" he apologised. Before Sylvie could reply, they heard some shuffling downstairs.

 _"Jackie! Ellie! Come on! Tidy it up before they find out!"_ they heard Annie's little voice whisper shout.

Matt and Sylvie took one look at each other before smiling and laughing.

"Something tells me the monsters are going to try and hide all evidence of their little late-night adventure…" Sylvie said.

"It appears so" Matt confirmed. "I gotta get going, but I will see you at work in a couple of hours" he said as she slowly leaned in and gave her a lingering kiss. "I love you"

"I love you too" she replied with a smile before he stood from the bed and walked out the bedroom door.

As he was walking down the hallway, he stopped when he spied his children at the top of the stairs. It took another few moments for them to spot him and when they did, they froze like deer caught in headlights. They had a stare down with Matt for a few moments before his face lightened and he held his hands up.

"I didn't see anything" he said as they all eyed him curiously. He walked past them all and kissed all of their heads. "Have a good day Caseys, I love you"

"Love you daddy!" "Love you dad" "You too dad" they all resounded happily. Once Matt had disappeared downstairs, the Casey kids all looked at each other before darting off into the bedrooms to pretend they had been in bed this whole time.

* * *

Sylvie was pleasantly surprised when she went downstairs that morning. The kids had managed to return the playroom to a relatively tidy manner. It certainly wasn't any messier than it had been the previous day.

After getting the kids up, fed and to school and pre-school, Sylvie made her way in to work. He first point of call was going to Matt's quarters to tell him about her morning of pretending not to know a thing, but before she could even make it into the firehouse itself, the bells went off, calling them to a warehouse fire downtown. Sylvie hated warehouse fires. They _all_ hated warehouse fires. It brought back some bad memories and they were often the most dangerous blazes they faced.

As she ran to the ambo, she caught Matt's eye as he came running out. He gave her a smile and a wink before hopping into the truck. Sylvie couldn't help but smile a little back. 11 years together and he still made her feel so giddy.

When they arrived at the scene, the fire had been as bad as expected. Sylvie waited anxiously outside as the crews went inside to tackle the blaze.

_"Chief!"_

Sylvie jumped slightly at the sound of Matt's voice over the radio.

_"We need back up, can you send Brett and Mackey in? We're safe up here, we just need some medical supplies!"_

"Mackey, Brett" Boden called as they quickly nodded their heads, suited up and charged into the scene. They soon located Casey, Severide and Kidd with a few victims.

"What have we got?" Sylvie asked as they approached.

"Victim over here, broken leg. We need it splinted before we can move him" Severide explained as Sylvie nodded her head and moved to provide the necessary care.

Before she could get very far, the roof above them started to creek. They instantly looked up and watch as a metal pole came swinging down in the direction of Sylvie.

 _"Sylvie!"_ Matt called as he immediately shoved her out of the way and took the force of the pole against the side of his abdomen.

After picking herself up from the floor, Sylvie let out some laboured breaths before looking around her to find Matt.

"Matt!" she called, her voice becoming strained. She soon spotted him with Severide knelled beside him.

"Don't move man, just – just _don't move._ " Severide told him frantically.

Sylvie rushed over and bent down beside him. She looked at his side and saw that the pole was sticking out of him. Who knows how far it went in to his abdomen. The world moved in slow motion around her. She could hear Severide call for assistance to cut the pole so they could move him, but his voice felt muffled.

_"Sylvie. Sylvie. Sylvie!"_

She finally snapped out of her trance as she looked down at Matt. He was clearly in a lot of pain but was trying to keep it together.

"It's ok baby, you're ok" Sylvie told him as she held his cheeks in her hands. She tried to stop her tears but she was entirely unable to. She started sobbing at the state of her love lying there in such pain. She took her mask off as he took his off so they could truly look at each other.

"Sylvie – Sylvie I love you—" he began, but Sylvie cut him off. She knew what he was doing. This was a goodbye speech and she wasn't going to listen to it because he wasn't going to die. They were going to get out of here.

"No, no, you don't get to die. _Not today._ " She said as she shook her head. "Not when you have three beautiful children to get home to. Not when you have _me_ to get home to. This is _not_ how you die." She protested emotionally as the other firefighters around them tried to maintain their own emotions at the scene in front of them but also do their job to get Casey out of there.

"Sylvie… you gave me my dream." Matt said with a quiet smile. "You _became_ my dream… and I love you more than anything. I love our babies more than anything and the life we have had together is more than I thought possible - however short it may seem." He said as Sylvie ran her hand over his face comfortingly. "I've been thinking about the fort building all morning – make sure they keep doing that babe. Make sure they keep going on adventures. Make sure they keep taking risks and chances. One of the best things we could ever give them as parents is memories. So make more memories babe. Make all the memories in the world."

"Matt Casey you are going to die when you are 99 years old and tucked up all warm in your bed." She made clear to him.

Matt smirked, "I don't know… going out in a blaze glory seems quite fitting."

" _I think surrounded by your dream sounds a whole lot better."_ She said without missing a beat, her forehead rested against the side of his head as her tears mixed with his.

"Good thing my dream is right in front of me." He said – before his eyes closed and his head flopped.

" _No… no, no, no, no, Matt, Matt_!" Sylvie screamed. She continued to scream for him as Stella pulled her away from him and the squad lifted Casey and rushed him outside.

Sylvie felt the life drain from her as soon as Matt was out of sight – and she collapsed into Stella's arms, praying that this had all been a bad dream.

* * *

"That one looks like an elephant!" Annie determined as she pointed to the sky at the clouds above them while she lay on her back on the grass in the garden.

"An elephant? No _way_! Definitely a platypus." Elliot decided as he lay beside her.

"A platypus?" Jack asked in disbelief. "It's definitely a cow… with an ice cream cone attached to his face!" Jack reasoned with a little laugh.

"An ice cream cone attached to his face?" Sylvie asked as she came and lay down beside them. "I think your guess reveals your hearts desires Jackie…"

Jack shrugged, "Well if ice cream is on the cards… I wouldn't say _no…_ "

"Yeah mom, if ice cream is on the cards…" a voice at the end of the line they had formed on the grass said.

Sylvie turned her head and looked down the line and was met by a set of piercing blue eyes. She had been looking at his eyes for the 15 years that she had known him. For the first few years, she was looking into the eyes of a friend. Someone she knew she could always rely on. But it all changed the day she looked into his eyes and saw his _soul_. She saw his soul and it was _beautiful._ She looked into his eyes and saw her today, tomorrow and future. Eyes that truly made her heart _soar_ \- and now those eyes had multiplied in their children.

It had been three months since the warehouse fire. Three months since the scariest day of Sylvie's life. When she passed out in Stella's arms, she didn't wake up for another 6 hours. She figured it a mixture of physical and emotional exhaustion. When she woke up, she was greeted by Natalie Manning.

" _Hi. You're awake… so is Casey_." She'd told her with a smile as Sylvie felt the biggest wave of relief flow through her.

The pole hadn't gone through him as far as they'd anticipated and where it did penetrate, they were quickly able to fix. He would be off the job for a little while recovering, but they anticipated he would make a full one – and now he had a badass scar that his kids were obsessed with. They thought it was so cool and that their dad must be a superhero.

"I think I could be persuaded on the ice cream front…" Sylvie conceded as Matt smiled down the line at her with a toothy grin. Staring at the clouds and eating ice cream – it seemed so simple, but since the accident the Caseys made a point of treasuring these simple moments that would turn into lifetime memories, because they didn't know what the next day might bring.

"Ice cream it is then!" Annie announced as she jumped to her feet, pulled her brothers with her and bolted into the house.

Sylvie looked back down the grass as Matt, who smiled at her and gave her a characteristic wink that he often used as a sign of encouragement to her, and now a sign of love too.

Sylvie knew she would be adding that wink to the bank of memories she was building.


	16. Grocery Stores and Wooden Barns

**Grocery Stores and Wooden Barns**

"Mom? Dad?" Sylvie called through her childhood home as she balanced Jack on her hip and a bag over her shoulder. It was labour day weekend and Sylvie and Matt decided that it would be good to head back to Indiana for it. It had been a while since Sylvie had seen her parents and since they had seen their grandsons who had just hit a year old.

" _Oh my babies are here!"_ Sylvie heard her mother squeal from the kitchen as she turned to look at Matt with wide eyes as he smiled back at her over her mother's excitement.

"There they are!" Martha Brett said as she pursed her lips together and placed a hand over her heart. "My babies!" She walked forward and held her arms out for what Brett thought was a hug for her – but apparently not. She took Jack straight out of her arms as Sylvie awkwardly dropped her arms and her bag to the floor. "Oh my goodness Jack Casey you have gotten so big! And look at you Elliot!" she said as she kissed Elliot as Matt held him. "You know, it always astounds me that your boys can look so alike but so _different_ at the same time. I mean they're twins after all!"

"Fraternal mom, they're supposed to look like brothers, not identical twins." Sylvie said with a little laugh. "And hi, by the way" she greeted, since her mother seemed to have forgotten that part.

"Hi sweetie" Martha said as she cupped Sylvie's cheek affectionately. Sylvie wouldn't call her mother overbearing, but she was borderline heading in that direction. She was a boisterous and incredibly loving woman, but she often just said what she was thinking without considering the consequences and often tried to butt in where she wasn't needed. "Hi Matt, how are you honey?"

"I'm good Martha, how are you?" he asked as he kissed his mother-in-law's cheek. Matt understood why Sylvie found her mother difficult at times, but he loved nothing more than coming back to Sylvie's childhood home and spending time with her parents. It was like he was getting a taste of the upbringing he never had. Besides, Sylvie's parents loved him – why wouldn't he want to soak all that up?

"Oh I'm much better now that you're all here." She said as she held Jack close to her. "Sylvie, I've been doing a little research on Chicago schools –"

"Mom, they just turned one, I don't think we need to worry about schools right now—"

"I'm just saying Sylvie, those places have waiting lists—"

"Mom. Let's just focus on the right now" Sylvie insisted as her dad came into the hallway. "The right now being this weekend and all the fun we're going to have" she said with a tight-lipped smile, not entirely convinced by her own words. "Hi dad"

"Hi honey" Peter Brett greeted as he hugged his daughter. "Hi Matt"

"Peter" Matt replied as he shook his hand with his free one.

"That was good timing, I was just about to head out to the store, pick up some things for the weekend. Can I get you two anything?"

"Peter, Sylvie and Matt can run to the store for us and we could look after the boys for a while" Martha suggested. She was desperate for some time with her grandsons.

Sylvie gulped, "Oh I don't know, they uh – they get a little bit of separation anxiety…" Sylvie lied as Matt eyed her curiously. What did she have against grocery stores?

"Oh nonsense Sylvie, they'll be fine." Martha said as she handed Jack to Peter and took Elliot from Matt. "Peter, give them the list and your credit card. Get whatever you want kids" she insisted as she ushered Elliot into the back of the house.

"They'll be fine, we have done this childcare thing before you know" Peter teased with a wink.

Sylvie smiled lightly, "I know, it's not that I just – never mind. We'll be back soon" she conceded as she took the list and Peter's card from him and followed Matt out the door.

Ten or so minutes later, Sylvie stood outside Fowlerton's main grocery store and gulped.

"This place gives me shivers…" Sylvie mumbled as she remained firmly footed at the entrance.

"… it's a grocery store babe." Matt said as he stood beside her with the trolley. How could a grocery store freak her out so much?

"It's not that it's a grocery store it's that it's this grocery store." Sylvie clarified. "It's that it's _Fowlerton's_ grocery store."

"What's the worst that could happen?" Matt asked with a shrug as he started to push the trolley into the store and Sylvie reluctantly dragged herself in behind him. She sighed and linked her arm under his, holding on to the bar with her grocery list in the other. "We could run into certain people that I have no desire running into. This isn't a big town Matt I would place money on us running into—"

" _Sylvie? Sylvie Brett?"_ she heard a voice say behind her as she froze, causing Matt to jolt the trolley slightly.

Sylvie clenched her jaw before spinning on her heel and forcing a smile onto her face, _"… Hope. Hi"_

"Oh my god it really is you!" Hope said as she strutted forward and hugged Sylvie tightly. Matt too slowly turned around. It had been a long time since he'd seen Hope and quite honestly, he was praying they wouldn't accidentally run into her here. She really caused problems the last time she was in Chicago for Sylvie, so Matt really didn't have much patience for her. Sylvie was right though. It's a small town, he should have known better than to think they could avoid this little run in.

"You look _great_! I'd heard that you'd put on a little weight recently but apparently those rumours were entirely untrue!" Hope joked as Sylvie's eyes narrowed. Yes, she'd naturally put on a little bit of baby weight, but it wasn't noticeable to the naked eye let alone noticeable enough for rumours to start in Fowlerton. Besides, she'd lost it all since the twins were born! At the same time, however, she wasn't even _remotely_ surprised that such rumours were flying around.

Matt reached an arm around her back as she moved her hand and squeezed his hand in frustration. Matt let out a light groan at the strength of her hold but managed to keep it together as Hope eyed him curiously.

"Captain Matthew Casey…" Hope said as she took a step forward. She looked down at his hand and saw the wedding ring that adorned it. "I'm am shocked – and proud of course – that Sylvie managed to lock you down! And for so long too! How long have you two been married for now?"

"3 years" Sylvie told her with a tight lipped smile.

"Together for 5" Matt added for that extra ounce of authenticity.

"Well done Sylvie Brett!" Hope said with a wink. "You must have surpassed how long you were with Harrison by now, right? You've come leaps and bounds." She patronised. "I also heard that you had two little boys, congratulations! Your mom has been showing everybody in town pictures. And to think she was afraid she'd never get to be a grandmother."

"Man, you are really throwing the punches today Hope…" Sylvie grumbled as Matt let out a snort. It appeared Sylvie was most certainly over letting Hope walk all over her.

"Oh Sylvie, I'm not trying to be mean—" Hope protested innocently, but Sylvie immediately cut her off.

"Save it, Hope. It's a small town but we're only here for the weekend so I'm sure we can learn to peacefully co-exist for that short amount of time." Sylvie insisted before turning back to the trolley and pushing it away. Matt took one last look at Hope before turning around and following her.

Hope clenched her jaw, "Ok fine. I'll be sure to tell Kyle you said hello!"

Sylvie froze again, causing the trolley to jolt again and Matt to almost lost his footing behind her.

"Excuse me?" Sylvie asked as she turned back around. Matt gulped at the look of thunder over his wife's face.

"Oh yeah. We're married." Hope said as she held up her hand and flashed her ring. "Didn't you get your invite?"

Sylvie clenched the handle tighter, "Must have gotten lost in the mail."

"Oh, what a pity… anyway, enjoy your weekend, I'll maybe see you around." She said with a tight smirk before strutting away.

Matt looked at Sylvie in a moment of stunned silence. He really wasn't sure how to react to what just happened. He really didn't expect Hope to go so hard on the passive aggressive comments.

"Uh – you ok?" he asked as Sylvie just turned around and started to push the trolley again.

" _I'm fine."_ She said through her teeth. "Kyle is free to make whatever choices he wants to, it's just the fact that she said it to try and provoke a reaction out of me. Anything she says is just so _malicious_." She said quietly as Matt rested his hand on her shoulder and kissed her head.

"I know it's hard seeing her, but she isn't a part of your life. What she does is entirely her prerogative and doesn't deserve a second thought from you. You have a wonderful life Sylvie Brett – don't let anyone make you feel like you don't."

"I love you" she told him quietly as Matt leaned down and kissed her quickly but tenderly.

"I love you too"

Sylvie sighed and let Matt take over pushing the trolley again. "The only thing that could make this worse would be if we ran into—"

" _Sylvie?"_

"Dear God…" Sylvie grumbled. Somebody definitely had it in for her. She looked towards the end of the aisle and glared deeply _. "Harrison. Hi_." She responded.

Harrison looked her up and down like some sort of vulture which really did not sit well with Casey. Sylvie could see him tense beside her and she rested her hand on top of his to try and calm him.

"I heard you were in town. I'm surprised you're not hiding out at your parent's house to avoid running in to all the people you tossed aside." Harrison shot.

"Wow, you couldn't even do the pleasantries you had to go straight in with the heavy blows." Sylvie said with a laugh.

"I'm just saying it how it is—"

"Ok, well then it's my turn to say it how it is too. Fowlerton is where I grew up. I have so many wonderful memories here. I also have some not so good memories but I am in no mood to hide from them. My past is my past and I am so unbelievably happy with my life right now. So, if I want to come back to my hometown, I will come back to my hometown and I will go wherever the hell I want to go and not be intimidated by insecure weasels like you!" she snapped as Harrison took a step back and Matt looked at her with wide, but insanely proud eyes.

Harrison scoffed, "You've changed Sylvie. And not for the better." He merely responded before turning on his heel and storming away.

"This is why I hate this grocery store…" Sylvie grumbled as she once again took the trolley and stormed away.

Matt stood there for a moment, unsure what to say; "… that was kinda hot." He called after her as Sylvie turned her head and smirked at him before teasingly snaking her hips.

_God_ , _did he love her._

* * *

That evening, while Martha and Peter put Jack and Elliot to bed, Matt and Sylvie decided to take a stroll around her parent's farm. It was a beautiful piece of land and Sylvie loved to play out here when she was little. Being here now with Matt made it that little bit more special.

"Have you had a nice weekend so far?" Sylvie asked as Matt held onto her hand.

"It's been – _interesting."_ He said with a little laugh. "I know you find it hard being here, but there's a lot to be thankful for in this place. Even just seeing your smile right now as we walk around these grounds."

Sylvie nodded her head as her smile rose again, "I know I talk about this place like it was a prison for me – and in a way it was – but I have a lot of good memories here too. I grew up here, my childhood was spent running around in these fields. My family are here, and I love that our boys can come here and love it in the same way I did."

Matt kissed her hand and nodded his head, "Me too. You know – I would have loved to have seen you as a child"

Sylvie laughed, "I was very giggly, a little shy… but I was also determined."

"Sounds like you haven't changed much."

"There's a little more fire in my soul now." She said with a wink. "You know… I've never brought a boy out onto these fields…" Sylvie said as she turned around to stand in front of her husband.

"Is that so?"

Sylvie nodded, "Yep… I mustn't have thought Harrison was worthy. Or Kyle."

Matt placed a hand over his heart, "Well then I feel truly honoured that you brought me out here Sylvie Brett."

"You should…" she said as she leaned up and kissed him. She then eyed him deviously before pulling him along, round behind the barn at the end of the field.

Sylvie leaned up and kissed him passionately, her hands roaming through his hair as his slid around her thighs and under her dress. Matt scooped her up and her legs expertly latched around his waist as he turned them around and let her back hit the wooden wall of the barn.

Matt removed his lips from her briefly as Sylvie's hand moved to his belt buckle, the other around his shoulder, holding herself steady. "Huh – if we get caught –" he began, all of a sudden feeling like a teenager again, sneaking around where he shouldn't be. This time, he was sneaking around with his wife – and there was something a little more thrilling about that.

"I'm already the talk of Fowlerton babe – what's one more moment of delinquency to add to the list?" she challenged as Matt smirked and kissed her again.

Maybe Fowlerton wasn't such a bad place to be after all.


	17. Genetics

**Genetics**

16-year-old Annie Casey looked out of the back-seat car window at the storm that was brewing around them. The rain was pouring from the sky and the wind was beginning to pick up too.

"How much longer?" Annie asked her parents in the front seat of the car.

"About an hour" Matt told her as he continued to focus on the road ahead. His view was slowly reducing in these conditions and he had been debating for a while whether it would be best to pull over and let it pass.

"What's the weather like in Fowlerton, ma?" Elliot asked from the back seat.

"I don't think it's as bad as this…" Sylvie said with a grimace. After a little bit of persuasion, she and Matt had managed to convince their kids to take a trip to Fowlerton this weekend. They hadn't been in a while and they loved taking occasional trips there, but this weather was seriously putting them off.

"Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if the weather was like this" Jack commented with a shrug as his siblings looked at him to elaborate. "Then we'd have to stay in the house all weekend and mom wouldn't have to worry about running in to anybody in grocery stores" he teased, knowing all about his mother's unfortunate run ins over the years.

"Oh very funny Jack…" Sylvie said sarcastically as Matt smirked. "Honey it's getting really bad out, maybe we should pull over –"

"Dad, look out!" Elliot suddenly said as Matt slammed on the breaks and the car came to a halt. All 5 Caseys leaned forward to look at the scene in front of them – three cars had slammed into each other in the middle of the storm.

"Oh my god…" Matt grumbled as he and Sylvie undid their belts. "Elliot, call 9-1-1"

"I don't have any signal" Elliot told him as they all desperately looked at their phones – but got nothing.

"Ok, stay here, we'll deal with this" Sylvie said as she and Matt jumped out of the car and ran to the scene.

Jack, Elliot and Annie all looked at each other for a brief moment before they too undid their belts and jumped out of the car. There was no way their parents could deal with this on their own – no matter how good first responders they were – they needed help in whatever way that might look like.

When they jumped out of the car, they surveyed the scene in front of them in shock. Where did they even _begin?_

"OK, we need a plan" Sylvie said as she rallied her family around. "We need to make sure we get to every car and account for every victim."

"It's not going to be much good if we can't get them to hospitals, where's the nearest one?" Elliot asked.

"Probably Reynolds Memorial, about 5 miles out from here" Sylvie told him. "We can't get our car past this scene."

"Let me help!" someone shouted from behind as they saw a victim stagger from one of the cars. "I'm ok, I just think I broke my nose from the airbag but I'm fine – let me go get help."

Sylvie quickly examined him and saw he seemed with it, so they nodded and let the guy go get help – what else could they do in this situation?

"Ok, we check every car, we assess their injuries, we report back to me or mom, got it?" Matt ordered his kids as they nodded their heads and ran towards the scene.

Annie made her way towards and tipped over car. She climbed up the side of it and looked through the window to find a little boy and his mother.

"Noah! Noah!" his mother was calling. She appeared to have a pretty bad head laceration and her leg was trapped under the steering column. Miraculously, the little boy seemed to be in ok shape. A few cuts and bruises her and there but he seemed ok.

"Mom!"

"Hi, hi, my name's Annie, help is on it's way." She assured them.

"Is my son ok?"

"What's your name ma'am?"

"Elise, my son is Noah!"

"Ok Elise, Noah looks ok, just a few cuts and bruises. You have a head lack that's going to need patched up a little, I will be right back" Annie told her as she hopped off the car and ran over to Sylvie who was dealing with a victim of her own from the first aid kit she liked to keep in the back of the car.

"Mom, I have a woman with a head lac, do you have any gauze and tape?"

"Yeah sweetie, here, be careful." She warned. She'd trained her kids in first aid from when they were little, so she knew they would be fine on that front, but in these conditions anything went.

"I will!" Annie assured her as she moved her now soaking wet blonde hair out of her face and ran back to the car.

She quickly closed over the wound for the time being, trying to make sure the gauze stuck despite the rain that was lashing through the windows. When she was done, Elise grabbed her arm.

"Stay with my son. Please. Talk to him, keep him calm." She begged as Annie nodded her head. She manoeuvred herself across the car she had climbed and towards Noah.

"Hey Noah, how you doing?"

"I'm scared!" he admitted.

"I know you are buddy but everything is going to be ok, help is coming!" she shouted over the storm. "How old are you Noah?"

"6"

"Wow, you are so brave, I'm not sure I would have been so brave when I was 6!" Annie told him with a smile, trying to be as encouraging as she can and to shift the conversation beyond his fear. "What do you like to do in school?"

"I like science"

"Really? I like science too. I want to be a doctor one day" Annie told him.

"Me too!" he said proudly. "What kind of doctor?"

"I think one that works in the emergency room. What about you?"

"A heart doctor!" he said as Annie smiled. "I think you'd make a really good doctor." He complimented.

"Thank you Noah, I think you'd make a pretty awesome doctor too." She said with a wink.

Meanwhile, Elliot approached a car and rapped on the window at a middle-aged woman in the driver's seat, she looked a little out of it, but appeared to be conscious.

"Hey! Hey, are you ok?" he asked as she nodded her head and gripped the steering wheel tighter.

"Some asshole was speeding along here I mean – who does that in such terrible conditions?! Then again, what sort of person am I to be out here at all?" she asked as she started to get emotional.

"What's your name?" he asked as he tried to pull on the door handle but with little luck.

"Maggie"

"Ok Maggie—" Elliot began, but froze. He spotted that she was holding something to her neck. "Do you have a cut on your neck?" he asked calmly. Maggie nodded her head and removed the cloth to reveal a slice across it and a lot of blood.

"I don't know how much longer I can hold this here." She told him as she began to become weaker and weaker.

"Ok the blood isn't pumping out of it, so that's a good sign." Elliot assured. It meant she hadn't clipped anything vital. "But you need to keep pressure on it."

Elliot looked around the crash sight for Matt; "Dad! What tools do we have?"

"I don't know, check the boot!" he called back from the victim he was dealing with. Elliot ran to the car and opened the boot and rummaged around through Matt's construction equipment. He managed to find a pipe that could potentially act as a makeshift crowbar to get the door open. He rushed back and wedged it in the car door and pushing with all of his strength. After a few attempts, he managed to get it open, just as Maggie was getting weaker and weaker.

"Ok, let me" he said as he took the cloth from her and began applying pressure to the wound.

"I'm really sorry about this…" Maggie apologised.

"You're going to be fine Maggie. Just fine."

While Elliot tried to ensure the bleeding didn't get too much, Jack rushed over to a car with a young girl at the wheel.

 _"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!"_ she panicked as she burst into tears. Jack looked her over and there didn't appear to be any obvious injuries.

"Hey, I'm Jack. What's your name?"

"Emerson."

"Ok Emerson, are you in pain anywhere?"

"Just my _heart!_ My _stupid_ ass boyfriend dumped me tonight forcing me to drive in this storm!" she exclaimed as Jack grimaced and jumped back slightly at her outburst.

"Ok, you're fine…"

Emerson's head shot round and she looked at Jack; "Hey… you're kinda cute."

Jack gave her a lopsided smirk, _"Kinda?"_

"Let's not get too big for our boots Captain America." She said with an eye roll.

"Well when you call me Captain America—"

Suddenly, there was a huge crash around them as sparks flew from the telephone pole and it began to topple over. Jack looked down at his feet and realised he was standing in a significant amount of water. If the electricity travelled, he would be done for.

"Oh man uh—" he looked around him before making a snap decision to jump up onto the top of the car.

He looked around him and saw that the rest of his family had done the same thing. Even Elliot was on top of Maggie's car, while leaning through the open door to continue applying pressure on her wound.

"Are you all ok?!" Matt shouted over the storm.

They all nodded.

"What are we going to do?!" Elliot shouted back.

"We hope to God that this guy comes back with some help." Sylvie replied, a little downhearted. It seemed like an impossible situation – but they had to do what they could.

"Elliot…" Maggie mumbled from the car as he focused his attention back on her. "It's ok…"

Elliot shook his head, "No, no you need to stay awake Maggie, stay awake. I'm sure you have people out there who love you and I'm not going to look them in the eye and tell them that you died in my arms. You're going to look them in the eye and tell them that you survived this."

"You're a tough cookie…"

Elliot scoffed, "It's genetic." He certainly wasn't about to claim credit for his sense of bravery and toughness – that was all his parents. He made a mental note to thank them for instilling such strength in him since he was little.

* * *

After waiting for what felt like a lifetime, they could hearing sirens blaring in the distance and lights flashing.

Annie let out a breath she didn't even realise she was holding in, "Thank _god…_ "

The electric was turned off from the fallen pole and the Caseys all jumped off their cars, took a step back and watched the responders take care of everything. They just stood in a stunned silence as the rain poured down them, not having the energy to move. Eventually they all looked at one another before Annie sighed and pulled them all into the biggest hug.

"We are so stupidly proud of you three." Sylvie told them in the hug. She always knew her kids were incredibly bold and brave - but tonight proved it.

"Definitely genetic" Annie said with a little laugh.

"I'm proud of you all too…" Jack said as he pulled back from them all slightly. "But just that little bit more proud of me – I got the number of the girl I was helping" he said as he held up a slightly mushy piece of card with one of his infamous Jack Casey smirks.

" _Jack!"_


	18. Clowns

**Clowns**

It was the day of the annual CFD picnic, and everyone was excited to enjoy the day outside together in the sun before the bitter Chicago winter hit them. The fact that there was an all you could eat BBQ also helped sweeten the deal.

While everyone was excited for it, there was no one more excited than Jack and Elliot. They loved the picnic. There was so much to do and they got to hang out with firehouse 51 who were basically their idols.

"It's going to be so cool mom!" Jack exclaimed as he walked with his family towards the picnic. "There's a bouncy castle, a magic show—"

"Oh! And the obstacle course. Jack and I have been practicing our sprints, we've got this in the bag!" Elliot added excitedly.

Sylvie laughed, "You sure do boys" she said as she looked over at Matt who was smiling just as widely at his boys' excitement.

"Don't worry Annie" Jack said as he stopped at looked at his sister who was sleeping soundly in her baby carrier that Matt has strapped to his chest. "You can join team unstoppable next year. Oo, Uncle Sev!" Jack shouted when he saw his uncle and darted towards him with Elliot close behind.

"Hey boys!" Severide greeted as he scooped them up in his arms.

"Are you going to watch us on the obstacle course this year?!" Elliot asked.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world" he told them with a little laugh before setting them down. The boys ran off to help Emily with the bean bag toss – after all these years she still hadn't managed to perfect it.

"Annie couldn't hack the excitement, huh?" Severide asked as he peered in at the 7-month-old baby against Matt's chest.

"The boys woke her up accidentally last night because they were so excited about this picnic. Couldn't get her back over" Matt explained. It was safe to say he and Sylvie were beyond tried right now.

"I reckon they'll wear themselves out with all this excitement so it can be an early night for you both." Severide encouraged before patting Matt on the arm and walking over to the others.

"I appreciate Severide's optimism but once the boys clock on that there's a sweetie cart we are done for." Sylvie said with a pout.

"Oh yeah…" Matt grumbled.

"Mom, mom!" Jack shouted. "You have to come see this, come on!"

"What is it?" Sylvie asked as she tried to see what Jack was so excited about, but couldn't past the crowd of people.

Matt, however, could see it clear as day. His face fell and he gulped and reached an arm out to stop Sylvie walking forward. "I don't think you want to go over there babe…"

Sylvie eyed Matt curiously, "… why not? Jack wants me to."

"And he'll forgive you for not going…" Matt reasoned as he tried to turn his wife away.

Sylvie let out a laugh, "Matt… what are you doing?!" she asked as she dug her heels into the ground.

"Sylvie—"

Sylvie turned around and stormed forward with Matt quickly on her tail. When she realised what Jack was so excited about she stopped abruptly where she stood and gulped, causing Matt to almost trip over her.

"Sylvie… it's ok. It won't hurt you."

"It's uh – it's fine. It's totally fine." Sylvie mumbled. "I uh – Annie could probably do with a diaper change—" she began. She tried to turn around by Matt stopped her.

"Sylvie, I think it's time you faced your fear." Matt encouraged. "It's just a clown."

Sylvie turned around and looked at the clown her sons were animatedly engaging with. "You remember the killer clown phase of 2016?"

"… yes, but they weren't actually killer clowns, it was just people dressing up as clowns—"

"Not to mention IT—"

"Not real—"

"Oh god, I can't." Sylvie said as she tried to run away, but Matt quickly stopped her again.

"No running away. Remember last year when Jack was afraid of the dark? You made sure he gathered all the facts about the dark, you encouraged him to confront the dark and he's not afraid anymore. He realises that there is nothing to fear – you need to take your own advice. You need to face your fear of clowns in the same way, a little bit of exposure therapy could work wonders."

"What facts? They're evil and set out to scare children." Sylvie protested. "I mean, look at them!" she said as they looked over at the clown. "They paint their faces to constantly appear like they are smiling and happy, it hides their true emotions, it's a total distortion and it's creepy." She reasoned. "Actually kind of sad when you think about…"

"Exactly!" Matt said, thinking that was progress. I mean, it wasn't ideal that she was feeling sorry for them, but for her purposes it was better that than being afraid. "Look at them – they're not here to hurt people. They're hear to entertain and while they're maybe not the most entertaining acts in the world – that's all they're trying to do."

"Mom, dad, come on! He's got some super cool tricks!" Elliot now encouraged as Sylvie took a deep breath and held her head high.

"Ok. Let's go confront some clowns." She said with determination in her voice as she powered forward towards the scene.

"Momma, look!" Elliot said excitedly as he grabbed Sylvie's hand and pulled her closer to the clown. She soon felt Matt's hand on her shoulder, and it was all the comfort she needed.

The clown lifted out some balloons and started to fashion various shapes out of them. The boys were in awe. Who knew you could do that with a balloon without it popping?!

Sylvie subtly turned to Matt, "They better not ask for a clown for their birthday…" she mumbled as Matt chuckled.

_POP_.

The balloon the clown was working on burst causing everyone to jump slightly. Matt looked down at Annie and saw her little face scrunch up.

"Oh no…"

Suddenly, her screams filled the park as Matt closed his eyes with a big sigh while Sylvie grimaced.

"… I hate clowns." Matt concluded before walking away, gently bouncing his daughter to calm her down.

Sylvie looked back at the clown who gave her a creepy smile and a wave. She shivered involuntarily before turning and walking away.

"Yeah. Me too."


	19. Family First

**Family First**

Annie ran through Chicago Med's ER department and down to one of the trauma rooms. A huge fire had happened downtown, and multiple casualties were reported. While many of them went to Lakeshore, a small number were brought down to Med. As a trauma surgical resident, and the only one on call today, Annie knew she would have her hands full.

Unsurprisingly, the Casey kids had really made a name for themselves in emergency services. Jack and Elliot were a daring duo at Firehouse 51. Under the direction of Blake Gallo in Squad 3, they saved countless lives across the city. Then there was Annie. If Jack and Elliot did the big saves, Annie was the one who put them back together at Med. Sylvie and Matt were incredibly proud of them. Naturally, they worried, particularly about the boys who had a nasty habit of thinking they were indestructible. As Chief of 51, Casey was particularly cautious about keeping an eye on them.

"What have we got?" Annie asked as she appeared at the door while a nurse helped get her gown and gloves on.

"Casey, where have you been? I've sent you three pages!" Dr. Boyd demanded to know.

"Annie—" fellow trauma resident Tommy Adler Began began. He wanted to warn her before she went in. He'd tried to tell Dr. Boyd that she shouldn't be here but he just didn't listen.

Annie looked past Tommy and straight at Boyd glared deeply at him, "I've been in surgery, you know, doing my job – _oh my god." She_ said as she walked forward and looked at the patient on the bed.

"Casey what is the problem? We don't have time for this, get in here!" Boyd demanded as Annie remained frozen at the end of the bed.

"The _problem?_ " Annie challenged as the rage flowed through her body. "The problem is you've just paged me down here to perform surgery on my _father_ you jackass!" she exclaimed as Annie looked back at Matt as he lay on the bed, out cold. Annie shook her head at the ridiculousness of this – he was supposed to retire tonight. This was his last shift.

"Father?" Boyd questioned. "Adler!" he exclaimed. He was the one who he'd told to send the page through, he should have said something!

"I tried to tell you sir, but you wouldn't listen—" Tommy defended.

Boyd sighed, "We're short on staff Casey."

Annie looked at him in complete disbelief. He wasn't seriously suggesting that she provide medical care to her father when she was in such a state of shock and anger?

"What the hell happened to him?" Annie asked quietly.

"A roof collapsed on top of him during a warehouse fire." Tommy explained with a gulp.

"I uh – I need to find my mom." Annie made clear as she rushed out of the trauma area to find Sylvie. As she was running she lifted out her phone and saw that she had a bunch of missed calls from her family.

"Casey!" Boyd called, but Tommy snapped right at him.

"Dr. Boyd! This is her father lying here. Have you completely forgotten the ethics of being a doctor? You can't seriously expect her to stay in here and help!"

"We need all the hands we can get!"

"I'm not going to sit here and argue with you about this. Maybe you weren't that close with your father but the whole Casey family practically live out of each other's pockets. Annie cannot be here for this."

Annie ran into the waiting and immediately saw all of Firehouse 51 waiting for news on their chief. She desperately looked around and spotted one of the people she was looking for.

"Elliot" she called as her brother turned around and let out a breath of relief at the sight of his sister.

"Ann" he said as she rushed forward and hugged him.

"Where's mom?" Annie asked desperately as she looked around her and couldn't see Sylvie. Naturally, considering the state her father was in, she assumed the worst.

"She's on her way, she's transporting some other victims in the ambo." Elliot assured her.

Annie ran a hand through her hair, "What the hell was he doing in there? His back is not strong enough to deal with these kinds of jobs!" she reasoned. Matt Casey was one of the best firefighters the CFD ever had – but he was old now. He'd seen a lot, he'd been through a lot and he wasn't as fit and agile as he used to be.

Elliot scoffed, "Annie you know him. When he sets his mind on something there's no stopping him."

"Well then you and Jack should have had his back! What happened to being the dynamic duo?" Annie shouted, gaining the attention of the other firefighters in the waiting area. She knew it probably wasn't fair to blame her brothers, but she was so mad. She just needed to get her frustration out on something or in this case – someone.

Gallo stepped forwards, "Annie, this is not your brothers' fault—"

"Stay out of this Lieutenant." Annie warned. She wasn't about to pick a fight with the whole of 51 over this. "Where the hell is Jack?"

"I'm here." Jack said sheepishly as she walked towards his siblings. He gulped as he looked at his feet. He was so ashamed of what happened back there. He knew he couldn't have controlled the roof falling, but he was certain there was probably something else he could do. And now his sister was standing in front of him, completely terrified for her dad.

Annie scoffed and folded her arms, "You're looking a little guilty Jack."

"… I told him the roof was secure enough. I made a bad call." Jack said as his voice cracked.

"Damn right you did." Annie replied.

"No, he didn't, he assessed the situation and I would have made the same call. It was dad's choice to go into that warehouse, no one else's." Elliot defended.

"Don't defend him—" Annie began as the three Caseys started to loudly talk over the top of one another right there and then. They were all bold characters and that led to some explosive confrontations from time to time.

As they continued to fight, Sylvie walked in and was taken aback by the scene in front of her. She looked at the other firefighters, wondering why they hadn't bothered to break this up, but then she remembered the golden rule in the firehouse – you never get in the middle of a Casey family dispute. If you try, you'll somehow become collateral damage.

Sylvie then decided it was time for a little parent intervention, _"HEY!"_ she screamed as all three of them stopped and their heads snapped round to look at Sylvie.

Sylvie gritted her teeth; "Anyone with the surname Casey, over there, now." She ordered as they all dragged their feet and stormed over to the empty family room at the side.

As soon as Elliot closed the door behind them, Sylvie pounced; "What the _hell_ do you three think you are doing? Screaming at each other in a hospital waiting room, _my god_ you would think you were 5 years old!"

"Mom—" Annie began to defend, but Sylvie held up a hand.

"I don't want to hear it. There is no point sitting here placing blame on what happened to your dad. We should be focusing on him and making sure that he is ok. I know you are scared I know you are worried but this is not how we do things. We stick together and support each other— _always."_ Sylvie said, finally letting her emotions over Casey's condition get to her. She'd managed to stay strong right until this moment, but seeing her children standing in front of her, scared beyond belief was enough to set her off and for her composure to drop.

Annie gulped and looked at her brothers, "… I'm sorry. I know you weren't to blame. I just—I was in shock. I was the trauma surgeon called to attend to dad. They didn't realise who he was to me. I wasn't expecting to see him lying there. I was mad and I took it out on you."

Jack rested his hand on Annie's shoulder, "You don't need to apologise. Mom's right. We have to stick together. Dad's going to be fine. He's always fine."

* * *

Matt successfully made through surgery and was now in the ICU. The doctors were hopeful for his recovery, but it was a waiting game at this stage. He was still in a critical condition and they could only hope he would pull through.

After taking a quick water break, Sylvie came back into Matt's room that evening and found her three kids all fast asleep on the sofa that sat to the side of the room. They were like dominos – Annie was asleep on Elliot's shoulder and Jack was asleep on Annie's. She smiled softly at the sight. They used to fall asleep together all the time as kids. It was nice to be reminded of that in the midst of their fear.

Sylvie walked over to Matt's bed and sat on the chair beside it before taking his hand.

"The last time you were in a position like this, you tried to give me the I'm dying speech, but now you can't so this time you're just going to let me talk." Sylvie said, remembering all those years ago when the pole went straight through him. Sylvie couldn't help but find it ironic that he said it wouldn't be so bad for him to go out in a blaze of glory, considering the position he was in right now. She also found it ironic that she told him he should die surrounded by his dream – and here he was, surrounded by the loves of his life. "I told you that you were going to die when you 99 and warm in your bed, surrounded by the people you love most in this world – and I meant that. Please don't leave me. Not yet. We have a lot more memories to make in this new phase of your life." She said as the tears filled her eyes. "You have been by my side for 30 years Matt Casey – _we're not done yet._ So please _._ Open those blue eyes that I love so much."

Sylvie lifted his hand to her lips and closed her eyes, the tears streaming past her closed eyelids and down her cheeks as she placed a lingering kiss on his hand.

While she was in her bubble, Elliot stirred awake behind her and looked at the scene in front of him. His heart broke for his mom. He had never seen a couple more in love than his parents and he couldn't bare to see that love taken away from his mom. He looked over Sylvie's shoulder at Matt – and suddenly felt a lot more awake by what he saw.

"Dad." He mumbled as he noticed Matt's eyes flicker open. "Annie, Jack wake up – mom, mom, look." He said as she shoved his siblings awake who grumpily protested.

Sylvie quickly raised her head as Elliot moved behind her and saw Matt's blue eyes staring back at her.

"Matt" she said in a breath.

"Elliot, what the hell are you shoving us for?" Jack asked as he and Annie rubbed their eyes.

"Guys, he's awake, come on" Elliot said as they suddenly jumped up off the sofa and over to the bed.

Matt gave out a weak smile when he saw his family in front of him.

"… boy am I glad to see you four." He grumbled out as everyone's emotions got the better of them and their eyes watered.

"Welcome back chief" Jack jokingly called Matt.

"… that's _dad_ to you Casey." Matt replied as they all held onto each other, feeling more thankful for each other than ever.


	20. Chilli

**Chilli**

It was a cool Saturday evening at Firehouse 51 and the squad were getting ready for one of the greatest nights of the year – the chilli cook-off. Since the competition began in 2002, the overly competitive side of each member of the firehouse appeared at full throttle and they didn't doubt that this year would be any different. Even after Boden retired 4 years ago, they still got him back to the firehouse to judge the competition - it only seemed right.

For the past few years, Brett had managed to get this shift off work. She didn't fancy sleeping in the bunk room with a bunch of guys after they'd eaten a copious amount of beans. This year she hadn't planned any different. She would stay at home, Emily and Stella would come over, they would watch a movie with the kids, get them to bed and then enjoy some girl time. But as luck would have it, she got the dates mixed up and now they were stuck in the firehouse at the mercy of the chilli.

"Ok everybody listen up!" Boden announced as he walked into the lounge. "It is time to get the chilli cook off started. You know the rules, I don't think I need to reiterate them, but – we do have a slight change this year. We have a special guest judge." He said as everyone's ears perked. "Our judge is someone that I know has impeccable taste and incredibly high chilli standards. So please, show some respect for Miss Annie Casey." He said as Annie walked out and everyone slow clapped her.

She smiled proudly, "Thank you gentlemen. My taste buds may be that of a ten-year-old, but I can assure you – know a good chilli when I taste one." She boasted as everyone smirked. Annie was a funny little girl. She was so bright and in tune with everyone around her. She had a bold, sarcastic sense of humour but was also so very sweet, just like her mom.

"Don't you think this is a little unfair?" Joe challenged. "She is _clearly_ bias…" he said as he motioned over to Brett and Casey as they leaned against the back counter.

Casey smirked, "Blood is thicker than water, right hun?" he teased towards Annie. He'd like to think that his daughter would be sympathetic towards his chilli, she claimed that it was delicious!

"Sorry daddy…" Annie began as Casey's face fell. "I will be completely fair throughout this _entire_ process." She made clear.

"Ok… but I'm just saying that genetics are stronger than you think." Casey reasoned. "My girl's got Casey taste buds, she knows good chilli when she tastes it."

Brett quirked an eyebrow, "What about Brett taste buds?"

Casey scrunched up his nose, "Redundant against Casey taste buds." He concluded as Brett glared at him and playfully shoved him away.

"Annie what are you looking for in flavour?" Gallo asked as everyone listened in intently.

"Uh… something tasty. Obviously." Annie replied with a furrowed brow. "I can say no more because the last thing we want is repetitive chilli making – I don't want to taste the same thing 8 times over."

Boden smirked, "What can I say? I had to bring in the expert this year" he said as Annie giggled. "Ok, judging commences at 8 – away you go."

Casey quickly turned to Brett, "We need to switch partners."

Brett quirked an eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest, "And why would we need to do that? I thought your taste buds were better than mine?"

"They are" he teased further as she rolled her eyes. "But our judge is half me half you – think of the power a Brett-Casey chilli would have" he reasoned with his wife.

Brett looked at Casey like he'd lost his mind. "This chilli making thing has gone way too far into the overly competitive zone."

"Yet I don't see you cooking mom" they heard Annie say beside them as they turned to look at her. "And I know neither of like you to lose. Need I remind you of a particularly competitive football game last weekend?" she asked as both Brett and Casey looked to their feet. 51 had challenged another house to a football match last weekend and naturally, 51 won, but Annie and her brothers had never seen their parents go so hard for a game. They were like wild animals.

"Ok, we get it, we're competitive monsters…" Brett held her hands up and admitted. "So I guess we better team up then." She conceded.

Casey smiled, "Let's get to it – Annie, you'll know it's ours when we taste it because it is going to blow your mind." He warned his daughter as she giggled and nodded her head.

"Oh keep wishing old man…" she teased as Casey pouted. Annie was mean when she was judging…

* * *

8pm came around before anybody realised and it was time to judge the chilli. Everybody placed their pots down and stepped back. They were proud of their achievements and each were convinced they had produced the best chilli.

"Ok, let's go, winner takes all" Cruz said as he held up the hat full of money.

"Annie, if you would do the honours" Boden said as he handed her the box with the special chilli tasting spoon.

They all watched intensely as Annie went around, tasting each of the chilli, and giving very little away by her facial expression. The moment she tasted her parents' chilli, she knew exactly whose it was. Not because of the taste, but because of the hopeful expressions across their face. When she finished, she pondered over it for a brief moment before turning around to face everyone.

"We have a very clear winner chief" she told Boden who motioned for her to continue.

She turned the winning pot around with a smile, "Pot number 5"

Everyone groaned and Brett and Casey looked on in horror.

" _Honey_!" Brett whined. "Your taste buds failed you."

"Oh they didn't fail me. Yours was amazing, but this one… _wow_. Outstanding work."

"Who is pot number 5?" Cruz asked as nobody came forward to claim it.

"That would be ours, thank you very much" they heard a voice behind them say as they turned around to see Jack and Elliot take the money from Cruz.

"Boys – what are you doing here?" Casey asked his teenage sons. He thought they were at home for a night.

"When we heard about the impending chilli competition, we decided we couldn't miss out on an opportunity to make some cash" Elliot explained as Jack sorted through the money.

" _Easily_ I might add." Jack said with a laugh as he and Elliot fist bumped.

" _Unbelievable_ …" Annie grumbled with an eyeroll.

"Hold on…" Brett said as she walked towards her boys. "Since when do you two know how to cook?"

"That's the beauty of it – we don't!" Jack said with a laugh.

"We just showed up, found a recipe and went with it… turns out we have a bit of a knack for chilli" Elliot said proudly.

"If all else fails, I think we could make it as a famous cooking brother duo" Jack agreed.

Brett smirked, "This is perfect… now you can cook at home!"

Elliot and Jack's faces fell at the same time, "Oh no… no, no, that's not what this is about, this is just a money-making venture, I don't remember signing up to any hidden clauses—"

"Well now that we know what excellent chefs you are, why wouldn't we exploit that?" Casey asked.

"And why wouldn't you want to feed your family boys?" Annie added, loving the torture this was causing for the boys.

"Better yet – you should come and cook for all of us here at 51." Gallo suggested as they groaned.

Jack clenched his jaw and slammed the money back into the hat, "We just wanted some cash. None of this!" he said as he stormed out of the lounge.

Elliot snatched the money up, "But we'll still gratefully take this, thanks Annie" he said with a wave of the cash before rushing out after his brother.

"This – is an amazing discovery." Brett said with a little gleeful clap.

"What? That the boys can actually _read_?" Annie taunted, poking fun at the fact that her brothers actually managed to read a recipe.

"No…" Brett said sending Annie a warning glare. "My boys can cook!"

Annie nodded, "Yeah, at least they're good for something – but certainly not much else."

" _Annie!"_


	21. First Heartbreak

**First Heartbreak**

It was a Saturday night and Matt and Sylvie weren't due at the firehouse until Monday, so they decided to make what was a rare trip to Molly's to spend some time with their friends. Now that their kids were grown up – the boys in college and Annie in junior year of high school – Matt and Sylvie found themselves with a lot more free-time in their hands. It was strange to go from being kept constantly on their toes by their bubbly kids to having relaxing nights in, just the two of them. This was why they decided to take full advantage of a night off and head out for a change.

Once they got there, they were immediately greeted by Stella and Severide who cheered their friends for actually making it out. All too often they resorted to staying in and watching TV for an evening. Severide insisted that they were still young enough to get out there and enjoy life – Matt Casey's old man knees begged to differ.

Halfway through their evening, Sylvie's phone started to vibrate in her pocket. She lifted it out and saw Jack's name flash across the screen.

"Hi honey, you ok?" she asked, wondering why her son would be calling her on a Saturday night. It was much more his style to go AWOL at the weekend and then call on Monday pretending like Sylvie hadn't been desperately messaging him for at least an hello.

"He-hey mom!" she said with an awkward laugh. "I'm good, funny story though…"

Sylvie sighed. What had he done now? Jack wasn't a bad guy by any stretch of the imagination. He was incredibly sweet – but the biggest troublemaker you could imagine. He was always getting himself into binds in the name of having a good time – and his dashing good looks and charming smirk often meant he got away with it.

"So, I came home to steal some food—" he began as Sylvie ran a hand over her forehead.

 _"Jack._ " She scolded. That was a bad start already. Sylvie was food shopping for three people these days since the boys moved out for college. If something was missing from the fridge, she knew who to blame. Jack made it a habit of sneaking in and our undetected.

"But that's really _not_ important right now, you can scold me later. So, I was raiding the fridge – great risotto by the way – and as I was raiding, Annie came home. I said hello and I noticed her eyes looked a little bloodshot and she just stared at me for a second before bursting into tears and running upstairs." Jack explained as Sylvie frowned, catching the attention of Matt who looked at her concerned.

"Oh…" she mumbled. What could have upset her daughter so much?

"I mean – I don't think it's me but I also wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if it was me…" he replied, knowing he knew exactly how to push his sibling's buttons. But he hadn't seen Annie in a week, so surly it wasn't him this time. "I was going to check on her but I'm kind of scared to go in… thought maybe you or dad would be better at handling this one."

"Ok honey, thanks for calling us, we'll be home soon." Sylvie said as she and Jack hung up.

"What's up?" Matt immediately asked as Sylvie grabbed their coats from the stool beside her and stood up.

"Annie just came home in floods of tears…" Sylvie told him quietly.

Matt frowned, "She was out with Austin tonight. Maybe something happened with him?" he asked, referring to Annie's boyfriend of just over a year. Sylvie and Matt liked Austin. He was a sweet boy, an all-star football player and they trusted that Annie had good judgement.

Sylvie nodded her head as she and Matt quickly left the bar to go to their daughter.

* * *

When they arrived home, they immediately went upstairs and found Jack pacing in front of Annie's door – and Elliot sitting on the floor bouncing a ball against the wall.

"I called Elliot for back-up." Jack explained as Elliot smirked at them.

"We give exceptionally good bear hugs when called upon and can act as proof that not all men are trash." Elliot reasoned with a shrug.

"So it is about Austin?" Matt asked, desperately wanting to know what was going on.

"Just a guess" Elliot replied.

"Ok…" Sylvie said as she nervously shook her hands in front of her. She felt like she and Matt were about to walk into the lion's den, but their daughter needed them right now. "Get some pizza on standby." She told the boys who mock saluted her as she and Matt approached Annie's bedroom door and Sylvie gently knocked on it. "Annie? Honey?" they called but got no reply. "Ok, we're coming in…" she said as she slowly opened the door.

They stopped in the door frame and froze when they saw Annie lying in bed, holding onto her pillow tightly. Their hearts broke from seeing their daughter so upset.

Matt cleared his throat, seeing that Sylvie was already at a loss for words, "Annie?" he asked again.

"I don't want to talk about it" Annie mumbled from her bed as her voice cracked.

Matt and Sylvie moved further into the room and closed the door behind them.

"Come on honey, sit up" Sylvie encouraged as Annie reluctantly pulled herself up and Matt and Sylvie sat on either side of the bed. "Annie, what happened?" Sylvie asked quietly as she brushed her daughter's blonde hair off her face.

"Austin and I broke up" she said quietly as she looked at her hands to hide her teary eyes. "It uh – it was a mutual thing. He's leaving for California in the fall and we just decided it would be best to part ways now…" she explained as her parents remained silent, trying to find the right words to say. Instead, Sylvie wrapped her arm around her, holding her close, while Matt held onto her hand tightly. They felt like complete novices. The boys hadn't experienced heartbreak like this. Sure, a few girls had come and gone from their lives, but it was never to this scale. And while Matt and Sylvie had experienced heartbreak themselves over the years, trying to coach their daughter through it wasn't something they were prepared for.

"I just—" Annie began, trying to find the right words, as she finally looked up and let her tears freely flow. "I gave so much my myself to him. I loved him deeply and that's something I don't want to regret but I feel like I _have_ to. That somehow regret will make it easier to move on."

"Oh Annie…" Sylvie began as Annie snuggled into her mother's shoulder. "I think it's much better to be able to say you loved someone too much than not enough." She said as Matt gulped. That felt all too familiar to him. He didn't regret his relationship with Gabby. He was proud of himself for giving his all rather than simply letting her walk away from him without her knowing the love she was leaving behind. "And if you love the wrong person that much, imagine how much you'll love the right person." Sylvie added. Matt's heart fluttered at that comment. Gabby wasn't the love of his life. She was a love. But Sylvie Brett – he held his love for her above every love he'd had. She crept into his heart without him even realising and he loved her with everything in him. They'd been together for 25 years and it was without a doubt the best 25 years of his life.

Matt watched as Sylvie turned in her seating slightly so she could really look at her daughter. This forced Annie to now lean against her dad as Matt immediately wrapped an arm right around one shoulder to the other, holding her tightly against him.

"Annie, love has taught me a lot of things over the years and one of the biggest lessons I took from it is that you're going to fall in love over and over again until you find the one – and when you do find him, you'll be grateful for all the heartache because it shaped you into a person who will be ready to love him with everything you have. I know it hurts now and it probably will for a while. But don't ever forget that you are just one step closer to a happiness you'll never be able to come down from." Sylvie told her with the sweetest smile that Matt couldn't help but mimic.

After Sylvie's words, Matt felt like he had finally found his words of wisdom on love; "The first time you fall in love – it changes you." He began quietly, as Annie snuggled deeper into his chest, her head now leading on the inside of his bicep as he kept a tight hold around her. He could remember his first love all too clearly. Hallie meant so much to him and she always would. "Those feelings may never go away, but that doesn't mean you're incapable of feeling the same way about someone else. It doesn't mean you can't feel more for someone else. First loves are special… but last loves are priceless, and I can't wait for you to experience that." He told her as he smiled against her head.

"Until you find the Matt Casey to your Sylvie Brett" they heard Elliot say from the door as he and Jack appeared, and Annie couldn't help but smile at their comment.

"I'd count myself pretty lucky if I was ever able to have what you have" she said as she looked at her parents.

Sylvie placed her hand on Annie's cheek and delicately rubbed it with her thumb, "You'll find your forever Annie Casey." She said with a little wink. "Your heart is far too big for you to not."

Annie smiled and closed her eyes as Matt kissed the side of her head, letting her rest and breathe for just a moment.

"Ok, enough of this soppiness, it's brother time!" Jack announced as he and Elliot ran over to the bed and jumped on Annie – just seconds after Matt and Sylvie made the sensible decision to slip off the bed.

"Oh my god!" Annie groaned and laughed at the same time. "You two weigh a tonne! This was funny when I was like 5 but not so fun now!"

"Oh you'll never be able to escape these hugs Annie, even when we're 80 years old can being absolute terrors in our old folk's home." Elliot told her as they continued to wrestle with each other.

"God help me…" Annie grumbled as she continued to squabble with her brothers.

Sylvie and Matt stood by the door watching with smiles on their faces. Their kids could be ridiculous when they wanted to be, but they would always have each other's backs.

"Those were some pretty sweet words about heartache" Matt said to her quietly.

Sylvie nodded her head, "You've got to live something to really learn from it." She'd had her fair share of broken relationships and hearts.

"You got that right" Matt replied as he wrapped an arm around her waist and delicately kissed her temple. "I love you" he whispered as Sylvie smiled softly.

"I love you too."

Sylvie and Matt took one last glance at their kids and saw that Annie had managed to break free from Jack and Elliot's hold. She rushed over to her parents and pulled them in for a hug.

"I love you both so much. _Thank you_." She said to them as they hugged her back tighter than ever.

They knew this wouldn't be easy for Annie for the next while, but they also knew she had a lot of love around her to fill the void and she would get through this a better person for it.


	22. What We Deserve

**What We Deserve**

"Matt? Matt. _Matthew Casey_!" Sylvie shouted over the sound of her husband building something in the garage with his earphones in. She was _beyond_ frustrated with this day. Jack and Elliot wouldn't stop fighting with one another and Matt was nowhere to be found to help her deal with it. He'd been a little distant over the past few days and Sylvie couldn't put her finger on why. Over the years she'd learnt to read him like a map, but he was giving nothing away over whatever what bothering him. She didn't want to pry and hoped he would come to her when she was ready to talk.

Then there was the fact that she was puking her guts out every 15 minutes. Her joy over the fact that she was pregnant soon subsided when memories of being pregnant with the twins came flooding back. Then the memories became her reality again. Morning sickness was no joke.

Matt finally took his earphones out and looked at Sylvie.

"Yeah?" he asked, a little more abruptly than Sylvie was willing to tolerate, but she clenched her jaw and let it slide.

"Could you please come inside and help me?" she asked.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he set his tools down and a little reluctantly followed her in. He really just wanted to be alone right now.

"What's _wrong?"_ she asked as she turned and folded her arms and looked at him with a glare. "How many times have I told you today that the boys won't stop beating the crap out of each other and shouting at each other making it really very difficult for me to do anything at all?" she challenged. It had been at least three times, but clearly his mind was elsewhere.

Matt nodded regretfully. He knew he wasn't being fair, but he just needed time to process something. He was going to tell Sylvie, he really was – but he needed to know the outcome of what was going on before he told her.

"I got it." He said as he moved past her and into the house to find the boys doing exactly what Sylvie told him they were doing – smacking each other and shouting. _"HEY!"_ he shouted over the top of them as the boys' heads shot round and they looked at him with wide eyes. The other shoe had finally dropped. "That is _enough_." He said firmly. "Jack, go get your shoes on."

Jack's eyes widened even further, "Are you taking me to jail?" he asked quietly.

"… what?" Matt questioned in complete confusion. "Why would you think I was taking you to jail?"

"Elliot said that's where the bad people go." Jack said as he gave Elliot one final shove before standing up and walking towards the living room door.

Matt let out a scoff, "You have to do something a little more serious than shove your brother to end up in jail bud." He said as Jack let out a breath and went to put his shoes on.

"Where are you going?" Elliot asked as he jumped up onto the sofa and Sylvie came into the room with her arms crossed and a face like thunder.

"We're just going for a walk, you both need to cool down. What's with all the fighting?" Matt asked as he flattened Elliot's crazy fighting hair.

"It's just brother stuff dad, don't worry about it." Elliot passed off.

Matt quirked an eyebrow, "Brothers talk things out, they don't punch it out Elliot, you know that."

"Jack doesn't listen to me dad, it's the only way to get through to him!" Elliot whined.

"And Elliot talks too much dad, it's the only way to get him to _stop_!" Jack reasoned back as he came back into the room. Matt tried to hold back his smirk. His boys were so similar yet so eerily different. Their two approaches to life were evident here. Jack was all action and Elliot was a thinker.

"Whatever your reasonings, it stops _now_ – is that understood?" Matt said sternly as they both solemnly nodded their heads.

"We don't need to go out now dad, I get the picture." Jack told him.

"No, we're still going out, just so the message is clear." Matt told him as he nodded towards the door. "We'll be back soon" Matt said as he turned to Sylvie.

Sylvie nodded, "Take your time." She said bluntly.

Matt let out a sigh. He had a feeling that the boys fighting wasn't the only fight he would be dealing with today.

"Let's go bud" he said to Jack who went racing out the door ahead of his dad.

Soon enough, Matt and Jack had made it to a nearby park. Matt hadn't said much on the walk, instead he let Jack talk away about what he'd been doing at school and his favourite toys and of course – firefighting. His boys were obsessed which seemed fitting.

"Dad? Dad? _Dad!"_ Jack called, snapping Matt out of a trance he was in.

"Sorry bud, what were you saying?"

"I was saying – that lady over there is waving at you." He said as he pointed down the path. Matt looked up and saw who he had come here to meet – Gabby Dawson.

* * *

Matt steadily walked towards her as Jack tagged along, wondering who this lady was that had got his dad so clammed up.

"Hey" Gabby greeted as she awkwardly rubbed her hands in front of him. It had been a long time. At least 7 years. Now she was here. She'd hadn't changed much over the 7 years. Her hair was a little longer, but apart from that – same old Gabby Dawson.

"Hi" Matt greeted quietly. He was reminded of Jack's presence as he felt his son wrap an arm around Matt's leg and look up at Gabby with real uncertainty in his eyes. "Uh… Jack, this is Gabby, she's an old friend." He explained as he rested his hand on Jack's back and rubbed it lightly. The normally sociable little boy was clearly very unsure right now about the stranger in front of him.

"Hi Jack" Gabby greeted with a smile and a little wave.

"Hi…" he replied quietly, remaining firmly attached to Matt's side.

"Uh, why don't you go play in the park buddy, I'll be over in a minute." Matt encouraged as Jack shook his head.

"It'll be no fun without Elliot." He pouted.

Matt laughed, "Well you should have thought about that before you decided to use each other as punching bags." He teased as Gabby stood in front of them, smiling at the whole interaction. "Go on, go play" he said as Jack nodded his head and ran into the park.

Matt watched Jack, making sure he got through the gate before turning back to Gabby who was smiling at him.

"I almost forgot how good with kids you are." Gabby responded as she shoved her hands in her pockets, reminiscing fondly about their time with Louie. "I uh – I didn't know you had a son."

Matt nodded his head, "Two actually."

"I'm guessing that's who Elliot is?" she asked, remembering the name Jack had mentioned.

"Yeah. Elliot." He confirmed as Gabby awkwardly rocked on her heels.

"Jack has her eyes." She said as Matt looked at her, waiting for her to elaborate. He knew she was talking about Sylvie, Jack had Sylvie's eyes and the rest was _all_ him, but he was waiting for her to say it. He was waiting for her to actually _acknowledge_ his wife. "I'm happy that you're happy with her Matt, it just kind of sucks to come here and find out about your life like this. Not even a phone call to say you had a family with my former best friend."

" _Sylvie._ Her name is Sylvie. Not 'her,' not 'former best friend." Matt made clear. He wasn't going to let Gabby talk about his wife like she was _nobody_. She was someone incredibly special to Gabby for a long time.

"Sylvie." Gabby repeated, seeing that it was getting him worked up. "I'm sorry, I'm not here to cause an argument."

"Then why are you here Gabby?" Matt challenged. "Why did you call saying you wanted to meet?"

Gabby gave him a lopsided smirk, "Why did you _come?"_

"Believe it or not, I still care about how you're doing Gabby." He told her kindly. It wouldn't be in his nature not to care.

"I know." She replied. She was digging for a response that wasn't going to be there. She could see clear as day that he cared but he didn't _love._ Not in the way that he used to. "All I'm saying is that a phone call wouldn't have gone a miss before you got down on one knee to someone else or became a _father_. Don't you think I deserve that?"

Matt didn't know what to say. His blood was starting to _boil._ After seven years Gabby had come back and started demanding explanations and apologies for moving on. He was sure there were plenty of things about her life that he didn't know about and he wasn't here demanding _anything_ from her. He knew he didn't deserve anything, just like she didn't either. He wasn't that surprised though by her actions, it was Gabby Dawson through and through – bold with a touch of selfishness on the side.

"You left, Gabby. We aren't in each other's lives so no I don't think you deserve any explanations from me." He replied, rather politely. If it was the other way around, he imagined she might have blown up in his face.

"I just – I just never thought that we'd ever be able to replicate what we had." Gabby told him honestly. "I thought we were it for each other."

A smile rose to Matt's face. He wasn't able to replicate what he had with Gabby – he found something _better_. Sylvie Brett was it for him and no matter how mad she was at him right now he could _never_ be so mad at her. The goodness in her made that impossible.

"Gabby I am _so_ in love with my wife." He said with a little laugh of joy. "It's crazy how much I love her, and I don't know what you came here expecting me to say. Did you expect me to apologise for the life that I have and adore? Because I'm not going to do that. You made your choice to walk away and I found a love that was right for me and waiting for me to be ready to embrace it. To embrace _her_." He told her honestly as she gulped and looked at her feet. "I will always be so grateful for what we had. You made me a lot stronger and got me through some really difficult moments in my life… but that part of life is over and I'm not going to say sorry for realising that." he finished as Gabby clenched her jaw, not really knowing what to say. A part of her hadn't expected him to be this happy with life. Not after how they left things. She was clearly holding on to some things he had learnt to let go of a long time ago.

"Jack!" Matt called, as he waved his son back over.

"Dad" Jack said as he approached them. Gabby flinched a little at hearing Jack call Matt dad. Once upon a time she had been dreaming that it would be her kids calling Matt dad. "I'm tired" he said groggily as he reached his arms up and Matt scooped him up before looking at his watch.

"Yeah, we did cut this walk a little close to bedtime, huh?" Matt said as Jack wrapped his body around Matt like a koala and rested his head on the crook of Matt's neck. Matt looked up at Gabby who wasn't looking happy, but also had a softness in her eyes over Matt's interactions with Jack. It was clear to her how much they adored each other. How could she be mad about that?

"I uh – I'm sorry." She said quietly as she wiped away a stray tear that had fallen down her cheek. "I really am glad you're happy Matt and I didn't mean to come here and accuse you of anything. How could I find a problem with someone finding what they deserve?"

Matt nodded his head as a way of accepting her apology. He didn't want to leave this meeting mad, but he also didn't want to leave any words unsaid or any doors open.

"I hope you're happy too Gabby. That is all I have ever wanted for you and I am so proud of the work that you've been doing. Truly." Matt told her sincerely.

"Thanks Matt." She said with a tight-lipped smile. "I am happy… I'm also glad I got to meet your mini-me. The world could do with more Caseys." She said with a little laugh.

Matt chuckled, _"This_ Casey certainly is a firecracker… and one of the best things that's ever happened to me." He said as he rested his cheek against Jack's head, thinking fondly of him, Elliot and the next edition to the brood that had yet to appear.

Gabby smiled, "I can see why. I'll uh – let you get him back home. Goodbye Matt." Gabby said as she gave him a small wave before turning and walking away from him.

Matt stood there for a brief moment and watched her. He thought he'd gotten closure years ago, but maybe that was the final moment he needed. To see that she was happy and for her to see how happy he was – because he'd truly never been happier in life and he was determined to go home and tell his wife exactly that.

* * *

A short while later, Matt returned home and quietly put Jack to bed before heading back downstairs to find Sylvie. He soon found her in one of her favourite positions – the sofa in the living room, with a bowl of popcorn resting on top of her little baby bump and a book in her hand. Matt leaned against the doorframe and just watched her. She was so radiant – _always_.

"Where have you been? It's way past Jack's bedtime." Sylvie said quietly, tearing Matt out of his trance.

"We got side-tracked, I'm sorry." He said quietly as walked into the room. He put his hands in his pockets and stood beside her, while Sylvie didn't tear her attention away from her book. "Are you still mad at me?" he boldly asked, figuring they should just get straight to the problem.

"Depends. Are you going to tell me what the hell has gotten into you the past few days?" she asked as she set her book and her popcorn down and looked up at him.

Matt looked at his feet, not sure how he could begin explaining this to Sylvie without her getting the wrong idea.

"Gabby called me a few days ago." He said as he could see Sylvie's mouth drop slightly.

"Is she – is she ok?" Sylvie asked, a little concerned.

Matt looked up at her in a moment of awe. Even though she was mad at him, she was still selfless enough to ask him if Gabby was ok.

"She's fine, she was just in Chicago and wanted to talk." He told her.

"… _oh."_ Sylvie merely replied. "I'm guessing that's where you went with Jack then?" she asked as she began to put two and two together.

He nodded his head. "I should have told you and I'm sorry that I didn't, I just got in my head a little bit about it. I would never do anything—" he said, but stopped himself with a gulp. The way Sylvie was looking at him right now – she just looked so _sad_.

"I'm not mad at the thought of what could happen while she's here" Sylvie replied as she stood from the sofa. She could see all over Matt's face that he was worried she'd think something was going to happen between them. "I know how much you love me, I know that she's not going to change that." she made clear as Matt let out a breath and his heart skipped a beat. Knowing how secure she felt made _him_ feel secure. "I'm mad because you felt like you had to keep it from me. That's not like us Matt, we have always talked things through, we don't hold back." Their entire relationship had been built on the fact that they were the best of friends. Nothing could change that.

"It's not that I didn't want to tell you, I just – I was mad too Sylvie. I was mad that she called like it was nothing and expected to just walk into my life like she hadn't been gone for the past 7 years." He told her honestly. "And then when I saw her… I was mad that she showed up saying it was unfair that I didn't tell her about my family."

"Why did that make you mad?" she asked, getting upset herself because _he_ was getting upset about this whole thing. She always managed to feel everything that he was feeling.

"Because I don't owe her _a damn thing."_ He replied without missing a beat. "Sylvie I love you so damn much. I love our life." he said with tears in his eyes. "And I shouldn't have to explain that away to _anybody_ and I shouldn't have to apologise for it."

Sylvie walked forward and rested her hands on Matt's neck and rested her forehead against his.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you and I'm sorry that I got in my head." he apologised.

"I would be worried if you didn't get into your head a little bit" she said with a laugh. "Just – please talk to me next time. We're a team and I will always fight your battles and take on your frustrations so we can deal with them _together_."

"I love you" he said as he kissed down her cheek and her jaw before tightly hugging her.

"I love you too. _So much_." She replied softly, as they took a moment to just be in each other's arms and be thankful for the life they had built together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I didn't want to make Gabby into a villain in this chapter because I do like her character – just not with Matt. I just think they're too different and Gabby was too independent for that relationship. But I also didn't want to make it seem like Matt still held some sort of flame for her and that she was this huge problem – so I hope I got that across ok!
> 
> Let me know what you think in the comments!


	23. Knowing Your Worth

**Knowing Your Worth**

It was a Saturday night and Matt picked up a book from the bookcase in the hallway and began walking into the living room. He was anticipating it being a quiet one since Sylvie was heading out with Emily and Stella for dinner, so he thought now was the perfect opportunity to start reading all those books he had been telling himself he'd read for a solid 5 years. Somehow, he could never find the time for them.

As he was about to turn into the living room, he saw his daughter race down the stairs towards the door.

"Hi dad, bye dad!" she called as she reached for the door handle.

_"Hold it"_ Matt said as Annie froze where she was before slowly turning around to look at her dad with a sweet smile on her face (a sweet smile that always got her out of trouble). "Where you going, Ann?"

"I have a date" she replied honestly as Matt furrowed his eyebrows and nodded his head.

"Didn't you just break up with Austin?"

Annie rolled her eyes, "Dad we broke up _3 months ago_ , my weeping period is over, it's time I got back out there and had some fun while I'm still young!" she reasoned.

Matt nodded his head to show he understood, but there was something in him that just felt a little uneasy about it. He had never been the sort of dad to be wildly overprotective of his kids and he certainly wasn't the sort of dad to stop them from dating. Of course, he wanted them to be safe and he worried about them like any parent would, but he also trusted them explicitly. He believed that one of the greatest things he could do as a parent was show his kids he trusted them – which they in turn had fairly earned.

Despite how much he trusted Annie, he didn't know why he felt so uneasy. He looked at his daughter who still had that cute little smile on her face. She looked just like Sylvie, but with a few of Matt's hard lines, and he was often putty in his daughter's hands. He just couldn't bare anything bad happening to her, even the smallest thing – especially after her heartbreak over Austin.

"Do you uh – do you need any money?" Matt asked after realising he'd been silently studying her for a little too long.

Annie quirked an eyebrow, "I wouldn't say no if it was offered…" she said as Matt smirked and handed her some cash. "Thank you daddy" she said as she walked forward, took the money and kissed his cheek.

Before Matt could give her a subtle but clear 'be careful' speech, there was a honk from out front and Annie turned to the door.

"That's for me, see you later dad!" she said as she turned, but Matt halted her again.

"Wow, hold on… did he just _honk_ for you?" he asked. He wasn't delivering a package, he could at least come and knock at the door.

Annie sighed, "We're already late, it's just to save time—"

"It he can't come and knock on the door then chivalry must _really_ be dead…" Matt grumbled as he set his book down on the table in the hallway. So much for reading now, he was just going to be spending the night worried that Annie was on a date with a total _tool._

"Why are you being so _weird_?" Annie asked as she narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. "I'm pretty sure Austin honked his horn to get me to come out on _more_ than one occasion and you didn't say anything then." She said with a little laugh.

"And look how that turned out" he said as he raised his hand. She was really just proving his point for him. "All I'm saying is that it wouldn't hurt to have some basic standards. What's this kid's name anyway?"

"Archie."

"Huh." Matt said with a grimace. "I'm pretty sure there's at least three dogs on our street called Archie…"

_"Dad!"_

"Ok, I'll stop" he said as he held up his hands in surrender. Annie looked like she was one step away from punching him. "Enjoy your date with _Archie_ and just _be careful_ " he said. He would like to say an awful lot more, but he didn't think it would go down too well.

Annie nodded her head, "I will… and thank you for the money. I won't be late" she promised before rushing out the door for her date.

"You do realise this is only the beginning, right?" he heard a voice behind him say as he turned around to see Jack and Elliot standing behind him.

"Do you two really have nothing better to do on a Saturday night than hang around here?" he asked his boys.

"Mom said she'd do our washing for us this weekend so we're just dropping it off before heading out." Elliot explained.

"Don't worry grandpa, we'll be out of your hair soon." Jack teased.

"Watch it… and what do you mean it's only the beginning?" Matt asked curiously as the boys smirked from the entrance to the kitchen.

"She's finally over that post-Austin funk she was in" Jack began, "which means she has a new lease of life"

"And a renewed belief in the joys of dating and not being in a committed relationship." Elliot added. "Archie is just the first of a whole _herd_ of boys who are going to be showing up at the door."

Matt gulped. A whole _herd?_ He understood why a whole herd of boys would want to date Annie. She was incredibly intelligent and witty and beautiful, but he was convinced the whole experience would send him into an early grave. He didn't like the idea of someone as great as Annie not dating someone who could match her. He also didn't like the idea of this herd of boys breaking her heart.

Jack smirked, "I think I just saw the old man's life flash before his eyes."

"She'll be fine dad, it's all part of the teenage experience. Jack and I were the exact same." Elliot reasoned. They'd dated their fair share of girls too in high school and now college.

"Yeah… all part of the experience…" he grumbled before walking into the kitchen. "I need a drink."

* * *

5 weekends had passed since Annie's date with Archie. 5 weekends had passed – which meant 5 _dates_ had also passed. After Archie there was Chad whose hands hovered a little too closely to Annie's butt for Matt's liking. Then there was Vic who called Matt 'Papa Casey' and greeted him with a 'sup dude'. Then there was Michael who tried to out-do Matt on his firefighter knowledge, which really went down like a lead balloon. Out of all of them Jason was his favourite. Annie was running a little late getting ready, so Matt had him change the oil in his car, which he did only a _little_ begrudgingly. If Jason was his favourite, then Isaac was his _least_ favourite. While waiting for Annie to come downstairs, he was texting _other girls._ Matt knew it was a little hypocritical, but if this kid was going to date his daughter then she should be the only girl on his mind – no matter who else might be on Annie's.

It was early afternoon on the 6th Saturday and Matt woke up anxious. He wasn't sure he wanted to face who would walk through his front door that evening. The standard of men hadn't exactly been high. As he made some lunch that afternoon, the back door opened and Annie and her childhood friend Robbie appeared, looking like they had just been out on a run. Annie and Robbie Halstead had known each other since they were little kids, mainly because their parents were good friends and also because they attended the same school. They had been thick as thieves for years now and Robbie was often in the Casey house – it was like a second home with a second family. Matt and Sylvie had a very open doors policy to their friends and their kids' friends. They wanted their home to be a place anyone could come to and feel welcome and safe.

"Hey guys" Matt greeted as they stood on the other side of the counter.

"Hey dad" "Hi Matt" they simultaneously greeted.

"How was your run?" he asked as Annie moved to the fridge to get some water from the cooler.

"I whooped Robbie's ass – as usual." Annie boasted as she handed her friend a glass.

Robbie glared at her, "She _wishes_ she whooped my ass…" he grumbled as Annie smirked.

"He doesn't need an ego boost from me, he's starting on the lacrosse team next Saturday." Annie said proudly as she nudged Robbie's arm.

Matt smiled, "That's awesome Robbie, congrats"

"Thanks, I'm pretty stoked" he said with a little smile that in turn made Annie smile.

"Are you guys going to do something to celebrate tonight?" Matt subtly inquired, hoping that this would be an excuse for Annie to cancel her date.

Annie shook her head as she took a sip of water, "Not tonight, I have a date"

"When do you ever _not_ have a date?" Robbie challenged as Annie shoved him lightly and Matt scoffed. Wasn't that the truth…

"I'm sorry but last time I checked you _also_ have a date tonight." Annie said with raised eyebrows.

Robbie frowned, "How do you know about that?"

"Girls talk Robbie, the fact that you thought you could keep it from me is cute, _really._ " She teased as Robbie rolled his eyes. "Cathy's cool… also a little crazy, but cool."

"Oh no, you don't get to judge me when your date is with _Logan Matthews._ " Robbie protested.

Matt gulped. Did Robbie know something he didn't know about this boy? Annie assured him he was a nice kid. Captain of the lacrosse team, straight A student, a shoe in for class president. He seemed like a dream.

"Wha- what's wrong with Logan Matthews?" Matt asked, trying sound as calm as possible.

"The guy will sleep with anything that has a _pulse_." Robbie said with a scoff, almost forgetting who he was talking to. "He doesn't date, he hooks up."

"Oh my god, _Robbie_!" Annie exclaimed as she slapped him on the arm, causing him to choke slightly on his water. "Why would you tell him that?!"

"He asked!" he defended.

Matt watched, in a stunned silence as Annie and Robbie continued to bicker with one another. Sylvie was convinced that the pair were destined to be together. Ever since they were children they instantly clicked and as they grew older, Sylvie was convinced she saw a little sparkle in their eyes whenever they looked at each other. Matt was largely indifferent to the idea, but it took this moment right here for him to see it. The way they cared about each other and laughed together – and bickered together – seemed to genuine and loving. He wouldn't be surprised, or mad, if Annie came home one day and said she loved him.

"Look" Annie said, turning to her dad and snapping him out of his thoughts. "We're just going for a walk by the river and then to this little park down by Greenway. We won't even be out late." She said as she walked around the island to stand beside Matt. "Dad you know me, you know I would never do anything reckless and I take sex seriously—"

"It's ok." Matt interrupted. He didn't really want to be talking about sex with his teenage daughter, and besides, he did trust her – he just didn't necessarily trust the guys she was bringing home. "I trust you but uh – did you say the park by Greenway?" he asked as he awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. He was pretty sure Jack and Elliot were _conceived_ in the carpark of that park. Normally sensible Matt Casey and Sylvie Brett had a night of teenage-esque recklessness on a rare date night 22 years ago. Matt felt like the past was somehow coming back to haunt him.

"Yeah. What's wrong with Greenway?" Annie asked.

Matt contemplated giving a warning, but once again felt like he should take a step back on this one. "… nothing. Just be careful and get back before it gets dark."

"Ok..." Annie said with a little laugh, not entirely buying Matt's reasons for concern.

"I better go and get ready for my date" Robbie said as he walked towards the door. "Annie… don't do anything I wouldn't do" he playfully instructed.

Annie scoffed, "That list is very short then."

"Ha, ha..." He huffed. "Bye Matt"

"Bye Robbie"

Matt watched as Annie watched Robbie leave. She had a _look_ in her eye. He couldn't quite place it but he'd seen it before. She turned away from the door and leaned on the counter, a pondering look on her face. She looked up and saw Matt staring at her curiously.

"… I'm going for a shower." She announced, realising that she'd been caught out by her dad.

"Ok" he simply replied. Again, he could have said something, but he wasn't much of an interfering parent. Annie's feelings were her own to work out.

* * *

"I'm telling you babe, she had this _look_ in her eye…" Matt said, trying to explain to his wife about how Annie looked at Robbie as they made dinner this evening.

"Like how I look at you?" she asked with a little smile that Matt returned.

"Yeah. Exactly like that" he said as he affectionately kissed her shoulder.

"I would most definitely believe it, I've said for _years_ that those two are meant to be!" Sylvie reasoned. "I'm glad you didn't say anything though. It's definitely for them to work out by themselves."

"This whole dating thing Annie is doing is for her to work out by herself but believe me – it's getting hard to just say be careful and then send her on her way." he confessed. He knew Annie could handle herself, but he felt like it was only natural as a dad to worry about your kids. He just wanted her to feel safe and secure and loved by everybody in her life - even if that maybe wasn't realistic.

Sylvie wrapped her arms around his waist, "I know it's hard, but it's the best thing you can do for her. She's a smart kid, she would never do anything reckless and knowing that we trust her will go a long way."

"I know" Matt said as he hugged her into his side.

Suddenly, the front door slammed open and shut and Annie stormed down the hallway and into the kitchen – her face like _thunder._ She was normally a calm and level-headed girl, so something really must have gotten her worked up.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Sylvie asked quickly as she released herself from Matt's hold and walked over to her.

"Robbie is what's wrong!" Annie exclaimed as she began to pace in front of them. "God, he's such an _idiot_!"

"Take a breath, tell us what happened." Sylvie said in her calm voice in an attempt to get Annie to stop pacing and speak calmly and not in the heat of anger.

She sighed and eventually stopped, but kept her arms folded tightly over her chest. "I went to his house to pick something up that I left there the other day and we got into a stupid fight because he told me that Logan wasn't good enough for me. Who does he think he is criticising who I date?! It's nothing new I guess, he never had one nice thing to say about Austin! _Asshole_." She grumbled finally as she slumped down on one of the islands and Sylvie comfortingly rubbed her back and looked to Matt for back up.

"Annie" Matt began as she looked up at her dad, "Robbie is your best friend. Anything he says is because he cares about you. I'm sure he wasn't critical of Logan or even Austin because he wanted to hurt you. He's looking out for you and he always will."

"Your dad is right Annie. You can't let his opinion of one boy take away from years of friendship." Sylvie reasoned. "Why is this one getting to you so much? I don't remember you ever being this worked up about what he had to say about Austin."

Annie looked between her parents. She rarely held anything back from them, so telling them this wasn't that big of a deal.

"Holly and Jess…" she began, referring to her two best friends. "They've been teasing me for months now that Robbie is in love with me and that we're meant to be together which is just ridiculous… right?"

Sylvie and Matt shared a look that Annie immediately read as 'nope, not that ridiculous.'

_"Guys, seriously?!_ " she protested. "He's my best friend! I could never ruin what we have."

"Honey – someone once told me that all the rules you think there are about who you should and shouldn't date go out the window when you meet someone you really click with." Sylvie recited, remembering what Foster had told her all those years ago.

"I get that you find the possibility scary but if you take that leap… it might just be the best thing to ever happen to you." Matt added as he looked at his wife. They were living proof of taking a leap and it being entirely worth it.

"Maybe…" Annie grumbled. "If this has taught me anything, it's taught me that this whole dating while you're young thing – entirely over rated." She said as she stood from the counter.

"Does that mean no more boys rocking up at my door?" Matt asked hopefully.

Annie giggled, "No more boys. Thank you for being patient with me." She really wasn't oblivious to her father's worries concerning her dating life.

"You know your own mind Annie. I'm glad that means you also know what you're worth."

"Trust me. I really do." Annie confirmed as she stood from the stool. "I'm going to go wait by my phone under Robbie calls to apologise" she said with a smug smirk. "And… I think I could do a lot worse than having Robbie Halstead as the love of my life." She added at the end to which Sylvie gave a gleeful smirk to Matt.

They knew in that moment that Annie would always find her way in life. She was bold and confident and strong and growing into a women her parents were immensely proud of – and she could definitely do a lot worse than having Robbie Halstead by her side through it all.


	24. Cravings

**Cravings**

It was the morning of shift and Sylvie woke up a let out a breath before moving some hair out of her face. As she took a minute to get her bearings, she smiled softly. She was a week in to her second trimester and even though she was dealing with some serious morning sickness regularly – she was enjoying being pregnant and she figured she should enjoy it while it lasted. They were having twins after all, so she knew their lives were about to get pretty crazy. She had also decided to turn to light duty at work when she started her second trimester and today was the first day of it. She wasn't thrilling about being stuck in the bullpen all day and maybe being allowed out on some minor calls, but the health of her babies was the most important thing to her right now.

Sylvie rolled over and reached her arm out, expecting to find the chest of her husband, but instead, it was empty. She looked at the clock and saw that he appeared to be up a little earlier than usual. She got out of bed, slipped on a discarded jumper from the night before and clean pair of underwear before making her way downstairs to find him. When she got to the bottom of the stairs, she smiled even wider than she had when she woke up – she could smell pancakes. Her food cravings had started to kick in a few weeks ago and Matt had been doing whatever he could to appease them – including driving to the store at 2am to get some _pickles_.

She walked into the kitchen and saw Matt sitting at the island, dressed for work and eating some cereal. Sylvie smirked while watching him. It was insane how just seeing him sitting there gave her butterflies a made her feel insanely happy. She studied him further. He looked hot today. Not that he didn't always look hot, but there was something about him in his white captain shirt that was seriously turning Sylvie on this morning.

"You're up early" she said, gaining his attention as he jumped slightly.

"Thought I'd finally make you those chocolate chip pancakes you've been craving every morning. You do insist that nothing else will satisfy you." he told her with a smile as she sauntered towards him and wrapped her arms around him from behind, her hand disappearing under the two popped buttons at the top of his shirt.

"Well thank you, I can't wait to eat them… but I'm craving something else this morning." She whispered into his ear.

Matt turned his head to look at her and quirked an eyebrow, "And what would that be?" he asked with a gulp.

" _You_ " she replied in a seductive whisper.

Matt reacted immediately and spun on the island chair, pulling her against him and kissing her hard. He held her tightly against him as they kissed long, hard and fast, her hands roaming freely through his hair. Matt expertly slipped off the stool and turned them around, lifting Sylvie onto the island, all without breaking their kiss.

While Matt moved his kisses down Sylvie's jaw and neck, Sylvie's hands moved from Matt's hair and travelled down his chest, pulling his white polo out from his trousers, her hands soon roaming up his muscular back. Matt in turn reached under the jumper she was wearing and pulled her underwear swiftly down her legs, causing her to giggle and move to his belt.

Just as she was about to undo it, something started to buzz incessantly beside them. Matt lifted his head, their lips brushing against each other's.

"That's my phone…" He groaned.

"Ignore it" she said as they smirked against each other's lips. He was completely under her spell and would do just about anything she asked him to do right now.

"I could get used to these pregnancy hormones" he told her before kissing her fiercely.

_Buzz. Buzz. Buzz._

Matt groaned and tilted his head back in frustration before grabbing his phone from beside Sylvie's thigh.

"Boden wants to see Severide and I now… must be important." He said as he put his phone in his pocket. "I gotta go" he said regretfully as he tucked his shirt back into his pants, leaving Sylvie frustrated and pouting. "I love you" he said as he cupped her face and kissed her. "Very much" he added before kissing her once move.

He bent down to the floor and lifted her underwear, holding them up for her to take back. Sylvie smirked and jumped off the counter. She rested a hand on his chest and looked up at him, his eyes piercing through her, full of desire.

"You can hold onto those" she teased as she kissed his cheek and left the room to get dressed for the day, making sure to snake her hips to drive her husband that little bit crazier.

This was going to be a _long_ day.

* * *

Later that morning, Sylvie sat in the lounge, twisting a pen in her hands. The firehouse had been called out to a scene, including Boden, and she was here _alone_. It was driving her _crazy_. She wasn't sure how she could manage to do another 4 odd months of this. She swiftly reminded herself that she was doing this for her babies and it made her feel better about it, but it was still hard. She loved her job and to not be able to do it was difficult, no matter the cause.

Soon enough, she heard the engines return and rushed out into the hallway. She watched from the window as everyone jumped out of truck and ambo, looking a little tired and ragged. Sylvie looked around for Matt and soon spotted him. His hair was all over the place and he had soot on his face. It had clearly been a tough one. Sylvie quirked an eyebrow as she felt something twinge in her lower stomach. There was something about Matt looking so dishevelled and in his turn out gear that she found stupidly attractive. It was a real departure from the normally very well put together Matt Casey.

It reminded her of the previous summer when they had rented a cabin by Lake Michigan while they were on furlough and Matt had decided to grow out his beard a little. Sylvie couldn't keep her hands off him that summer – not that she ever really could. They were like two hormonal teenagers a lot of the time. She'd tried to convince him to keep it, but he insisted that it would lose its power over her if he had it all the time – she couldn't help but agree. A rugged Matt Casey was for special occasions only.

"Brett" she heard a voice beside her say as she jumped out of her skin and turned her head to see Stella eyeing her curiously. "… you ok?" she asked with a smirk. "You look… jittery."

"Oh, yeah, I'm – I'm all good. Pregnancy just makes me really horn—hor— _hormonal_." She said, stumbling over her words and blushing at her close 'horny' confession. "Hormones make you jittery!" she said with an awkward laugh.

Stella quirked an eyebrow and folded her arms; "Oh yeah? That's interesting… Casey's been a little jittery today too." She observed. Sylvie looked back out the window and saw Matt standing there, looking a little frustrated. "And we know it's not pregnancy hormones causing it…"

Sylvie scoffed, "You'd be surprised…" she muttered. He may not have had the hormones, but Sylvie's were _certainly_ affecting him too.

"I don't think I would be..." She said as she walked towards her friend. She leaned in slightly so no one else could hear what she was about to say. " _Just jump him already_." She whispered to her friend before walking on, leaving Sylvie with a wide mouth and wide eyes. Were they really being that obvious? 

Sylvie waited for a few minutes before everyone else had dispersed and Matt was left alone. She rushed towards him just as he was removing his red suspenders from his shoulders.

"He—" he began to greet, but Sylvie ignored him, grabbed his arm and pulled him in the direction of one of the storerooms, pushing him in and locking the door behind them. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Finishing what we started this morning" she said as she removed her top leaving Casey gulping and staring her up and down. Her little bump was the cutest thing in the world. She was sometimes a little insecure about her pregnancy body, but Matt assured her she'd never looked sexier.

"… _here_?" he asked. Yeah, he was beyond frustrated, but the storeroom seemed a little risky.

"You really want to debate the location, or do you want to get busy?" she boldly asked as she removed her trousers and kicked them away with her feet. This was probably the most exciting thing that was going to happen to her today – and she was determined to make the most of it.

Matt let out a laugh and smirked. "What's life without a little risk?" he questioned as Sylvie beamed before Matt walked towards her, immediately capturing her lips in his.

His hands roamed over her body and Sylvie was quick to deepen his kiss. She soon discarded his shirt before Matt scooped her up and pushed her against the wall – delicately of course. He dipped his head down and began kissing along her neck, eliciting some gasps from his wife. He knew exactly where to kiss to drive her _wild_.

Maybe a little frustration wasn't so bad every now and again…


	25. To My Last Breath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm caving and posting all of the chapters so I can get on to the new stuff. I figured since they're already out there, most people will have already read them... apologies if you haven't, but now you've just got a bunch more Brettsey content to get through! Total win-win. 
> 
> First new chapter will be out tomorrow. It's called The Game Plan. Sometimes you have to have one when you need your kids to do something right...

**To My Last Breath**

Sylvie lay with her head at the opposite end of Matt's bed, a sheet delicately draped over her. She couldn't remember a time before where so felt as relaxed and radiant as she did right now. She guessed that was the power of love. She and Matt had been together for only a few weeks and already it was the best few weeks of her life. They were inseparable and Sylvie knew that this was it for them. They'd found the one their hearts had been looking for.

" _You're an angel."_ She heard a voice at the bedroom door say as she lifted her head lightly and saw Matt standing there in his boxers carrying a bowl of strawberries.

She smiled widely before flopping her head back down on the bed and giggling; "You're a dork"

Matt shrugged and walked to the end of the bed. "Maybe…" he began before setting the strawberries down beside her, resting his hands on either side of her head and hovering above her "But I'm a stupidly in love dork and honestly – there's no better feeling." He said as he kissed her upside down, causing her to giggle and smile against his lips.

"I had an amazing idea while you were away" she told him as she rolled over onto her stomach so she could look at him properly.

He quirked an eyebrow, "Oh yeah?" he asked as he continued to lean over her on the bed.

"I know we said we'd help Hermann set up for Joe and Chloe's homecoming party" she said as she lifted a strawberry. Hermann wanted to throw a little something for them at Molly's for when they came back from their honeymoon and had roped everyone in to help. "But how about we call in sick… and spend the whole day in bed together." She suggested before biting down on the strawberry with a suggestive eyebrow raise.

Matt gave her a lopsided smirk and a scoff of surprise. It was very unlike Sylvie Brett to bail on anybody. He most certainly wasn't, however, against the idea. He knew that she didn't have to say anything else to convince him

"Say no more…" he said as he kissed her and pulled her back up to the opposite end of the bed, eliciting a playful squeal from her.

* * *

 _"If you could do any other job in the world, what would it be?" Sylvie_ asked, her head resting in Matt's lap as he sat up, his back against the bed board. They were finally getting around to eating those strawberries after some hot mid-morning activities. Now, they needed to get their strength up from what they had no doubt the afternoon would hold. So for now, they were eating and asking each other any question that came in to mind. They'd known each other for a long time, and they knew a lot about each other. They knew exactly they kind of person they were but it was the finer details, the big life questions that they wanted to find out.

"Any other job? Uh… a doctor." He told her as he ate half a strawberry and gave her the other half.

"I suppose it's probably in your DNA to be in a caring profession." She said with a smile.

Matt shrugged, "I guess I just don't want to do a job that is devoid of any humanity. It's why we're here, to make a difference in people's lives. To go that extra mile."

Sylvie nodded, "You certainly are a little extra that way…" she said with a wink, quoting herself from not that long ago. "I think I'd be a singer."

Matt chuckled, "A singer?" He didn't know why he questioned it. He'd heard her sing on more than one occasionally. Mainly in the shower or if she was just completing a job at work. She was always singing to herself and she had a really beautiful voice.

"Yeah!" she said confidently. "I love singing and if I can bring even a little bit of joy to someone's life through it then I'd consider myself very lucky."

"Well you certainly bring me a heck of a lot of a joy in the mornings when you belt out your song of choice in the shower" he said with a little laugh as he ran his hand over her hair and bent down to steal a quick kiss.

"You provide me with a heck of a lot of joy when you bring me strawberries in bed…" she said with a little moan as she ate another one.

Matt gulped. Who knew seeing her eat a strawberry could be such a turn on?

"Oo, I've got a good one" she said as she turned over onto her side, resting a hand on Matt's thigh. "What is your happiest childhood memory?"

Matt scoffed. He didn't have many of those. Everything in his childhood was often overshadowed by the disintegration of his parent's marriage. But… there was one thing. It wasn't much, but it was something.

"It's not one specific memory but uh… we had this washing line in the backyard. My dad put it up and it was made of this really strong wiring and bolted in to two trees that sat the length of the yard." He began as she looked at him with the softest smile. "One summer when I was around 7, my dad thought it would be fun to make it into a zipwire. So, he built it and Christie and I loved it so much that he built an entire assault course for us. It was the best thing and we just had so much fun that summer and the summers after it too." He said with a smile. It had been a while since he'd thought about it, but he couldn't help but feel joy when he did. "But I think the thing that I loved the most about it… it's the only memory I have in my head of my parents smiling together." He told her quietly. "They rarely did that, but seeing their kids having so much fun… I guess my happiest memories as a child are the ones in which my parents appeared to be happy. Even if it was just an illusion. My dad was a difficult and abusive husband… but he was still my dad. If I can hold on to a single good memory of him, no matter how simple – I will."

Sylvie nodded her head quietly. He didn't need her to tell him she was proud. It was written all over her face. Sylvie remembered that when she arrived at 51, it was basically an unspoken rule that you didn't ask Casey about his family. Apparently, he'd loosened up a little over the past few years about it, but still. He rarely spoke about them and she didn't blame his silence on the matter. But she was proud right now. She was proud of how he thought about it. She was proud he could tell her right now.

"Ok, my turn" he said as he took her hand in his and absentmindedly played with it. "We'll stick with the theme of childhood… why did your parents decide to adopt?"

"Oo, good question." She said as she shifted a little in her spot on the bed. "It's probably going to sound a little crazy but… I think they saw me and just knew that I was supposed to be a Brett." She said with a little shrug. "My brother was 4 and they'd been trying for a few years for another baby and it just wasn't happening for them. They were about ready to give up, but… my mom was a midwife in a hospital just outside of Fowlerton, in the town that Julie was from and my mom was the midwife who delivered me." She said with a smile that Matt couldn't help but return. "She says she can't really explain it, but she just held me and had the strangest feeling in the pit of her stomach. When she found out Julie had planned to give me up for adoption, it just seemed like fate. She brought my dad and Tom to the hospital to see me and that was that. They fell in love"

Matt smiled and kissed her hand, "Well it is hard not to fall in love with you."

"Right back at you Captain." She teased with a wink. "How many girls do you think have fallen in love with you over the years?" she asked with narrowed eyes.

Matt let out a laugh, "Oh at least 2 dozen…"

Sylvie rolled her eyes and lightly shoved him; "Ok and out of those 2 dozen…" she joked. "How many have _you_ fallen in love with?"

Matt looked at her for a moment. Admittedly, he'd been with his fair share of girls, but he could also proudly admit that he'd only been in love three times.

"Three." He said with certainty as Sylvie waited for him to elaborate. "The first time, I was a young firefighter with a bit of a hero complex, and she was the pretty doctor who seemed way out of my league." he joked as Sylvie smiled. She knew about Hallie, of course she did, but she'd never heard _him_ talk about her. "I loved her very much. We were together for 8 years but in the end… we just wanted different things and she wasn't the one for me. I think it's the cruellest thing in the world that she had to die for me to see that." He said with a gulp and tears in his eyes. "She was really wonderful and sometimes I'll walk past someone who has the same perfume as her or I'll pass our favourite restaurant it just _breaks_ me. But it also reminds me of all the things I learnt from that relationship."

"What did you learn?" she asked quietly.

"Never settle for anything less than what you know you deserve." He said instantly. It was clearly a lesson he'd take with him to the grave. "And… keep the fights clean – and the sex dirty." He said with a lopsided smirk.

"Matt Casey my _god_ …" Sylvie said in fake shock as he chuckled.

"You're going to be thankful of that lesson one day" he said as he pulled her arm, forcing her to move closer to him.

"Yeah, you're probably right…" she said with a smile as he kissed her. Sylvie shifted so she was now sitting in between his legs, her head against his chest and his arms wrapped around her shoulder. "Did you learn anything from number two?" she asked with a gulp. She knew number two was Gabby and she knew he'd learnt a heck of a lot from it – she was just curious as to how he would put it into words.

"Always give your all in a relationship until your all isn't enough." He said as he rested his cheek against her head and held her that little bit tighter. "I grew a lot from that relationship, and I will always value it. She reminded me what's so great about love… but also what's incredibly difficult about it. I came out of that relationship knowing exactly what I wanted and what I didn't want and I can proudly say that I gave my all to find that out – so how could the pain ever be something I would regret?"

Matt hated being vulnerable. He hated talking about himself like this, but there was something about talking to Sylvie that made him feel so at peace and so secure. He figured that was what happened when you found the right person for you.

"And number three? How did you know you loved her?" Sylvie asked as she felt him smile against her head.

"Well number three kind of crept up on me with no warning…" he said as Sylvie held onto his arms and rested her cheek against his bicep "and I'm incredibly thankful that she did. I knew that I liked her about a year before I got my head out of my ass and told her. It was when we responded to some kids messing around with fireworks and I got this burn on my neck. It hurt like hell and I was just going to wash it out but she sat my stubborn ass down and made me promise to look after it. When she walked away from me I just stared after her and thought about how caring she was and how selfless she was and how she always looked out for the people she loved most in this world. I knew then that I was falling for her, even if I couldn't admit it." He said as Sylvie smiled at the memory. She had been so bossy and has basically yelled at him for not changing his bandage, and she was grateful that he remembered it in such a sweet way. "But the moment I knew that I loved her… I was dancing with her at a wedding and she said to me that if you find someone who makes love feel as easy as breathing then you've hit the jackpot. And as I held her, it felt like the easiest thing in the world." He said quietly into her ear. They were the only people in the room, but this was something he wanted only her to hear. "I knew then that I'd found the person I was meant to love to my last breath."

"I love you. More than I can put into words." She replied quietly. She wasn't sure there was a time she ever felt so very loved and she was eternally grateful for it.

"I love you too Sylvie Brett… _to my last breath."_


	26. The Game Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some new content! Yay! I have five new chapters lined up and a few more ideas floating around that I hope you will all enjoy! 
> 
> For now - sometimes a game plan is necessary if you need your kids to do something right... enjoy!

**The Game Plan**

“Ok, here are the ground rules. All you have to do is hold onto this with _both hands._ No pulling it from each other. You hold it and you walk in a straight line to where I’ll be standing with Uncle Sev and Uncle Joe. You give it to _me_ , then you go and sit with Uncle Wallace and Auntie Donna. There will be _no_ fighting, your clothes stay _on_ and at the end – you get a massive piece of cake. Do we have a deal?”

Three-year olds Jack and Elliot looked up at their dad with blank expressions as he talked them through their roles at ring-bearers. It was the day of Severide and Kidd’s wedding. They’d never been in much of a rush to get married, but they figured why not make that commitment now? It was a low-key deal, but they insisted on having Jack and Elliot as ring bearers and Sylvie was even _more_ insistent that that meant getting them all dressed up in little toddler tuxes.

Matt knew it sounded like he was talking through some sort of game plan with them, but to him, that’s basically what it was. He needed to be clear with the boys on what they were to do otherwise god _knows_ what they’d pull. They weren’t bad kids, but they were little boys. Little, energetic, _bold_ boys who loved to mess around with each other. They needn’t look any further than the swing incident last week for proof. Jack decided to see if he could jump off the swing and land beside Elliot – instead, he managed to land _on top of_ Elliot leading to Elliot needing 8 stitches on the back of his head and Jack needing 5 on his knee and 3 on his elbow. They really didn’t have much luck in parks. Then there was also the fact that they were going through a phase of stripping off their clothes whenever they had the chance. Sylvie suggested one afternoon that they just let them loose in the wild – they’d probably thrive.

_“Deal.”_ Elliot and Jack repeated at the same time with a nod of certainty.

“Good” Matt said, nodding back at his boys. “Ok, tux inspection.” He said as the boys stood up from the couch and straightened out their jackets like they’d seen Matt do before.

As Matt straightened their little bow ties, the door opened, and Sylvie appeared.

“Oh my gosh.” She said as she put her hand over her heart. “Look at my babies, you look so _handsome!_ ”

Jack’s eyes widened, “Momma, you look like an _angel_ ” he said in awe.

Matt looked Sylvie up and down. She was glowing in her pale blue bridesmaid dress. Her hair was curled, half of is pulled off her face and as usual, her most radiant feature was a smile.

“She sure does bud” Matt repeated as Sylvie looked at him and smiled, giving him a subtle wink. It had always been their silent way of communicating.

“And we’re not _babies_ momma, we’re _ring bearers_.” Elliot added proudly.

Sylvie laughed, “You sure are. The best and most handsome ring bearers in all of Chicago” she said as she ran her hands through the tips of their hair, making sure it was sitting perfectly. “Did daddy talk you through what you have to do?”

“Hold onto the pillow” Jack began, as he and his brother alternated recalling the instructions.

“With both hands”

“Walk in a straight line”

“Hand the pillow over”

“Sit with Uncle Wallace and Auntie Donna”

“No fighting”

“Clothes stay on”

“We get _cake!”_ Elliot finished excitedly.

“Wow, you could never tell that you’re a fire captain” Sylvie teased Matt. He’d really drilled the rules into his littlest recruits.

_“Funny…_ ” Matt remarked as nudged her with his elbow.

“What kind of cake is it?” Jack asked curiously.

“Chocolate” Matt told them as their eyes narrowed.

“Hm… our favourite kind…” Elliot confirmed with a nod. “Come on Jack, we need to get this _right_.” He said as Jack nodded furiously.

“And you will” Sylvie said as she squeezed their chins and stole a kiss from each of them.

Jack and Elliot ran out the door of their changing room to find their Uncle Severide that they were going to _nail_ this ring bearer deal.

“They melt my heart.” Sylvie said with a smile. “How could we manage to make two of the cutest little humans to ever walk the planet?” she gushed. She was totally bias, but the Casey boys were stupidly cute – even when they were being terrors.

“Well their mom is pretty cute so that probably helped.” He said as he wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her cheek. “You look amazing.”

“Thank you handsome, you don’t clean up too badly either.” She said with a smile. “Come on, let’s get our boys down the aisle and our best friends married.”

Sylvie tried to pull him away, but he stopped her and looked at his watch.

“We’ve got a few minutes…” he said with a lopsided, suggestive smirk before pulling her back in.

“You’re _not_ ruining this dress.” She warned him as he pulled her flush against him.

“Then I’ll have to be extra careful” he said deeply before kissing her hard and fast as his hands began pulling her dress up around her waist...

* * *

“Where the _hell_ have you two been?!” Severide demanded to know as Matt and Sylvie eventually emerged from their room, looking a little flustered as they desperately tried to fix themselves.

“Sylvie had a hole her dress” “Matt’s zipper was stuck” they said at the same time as they looked at each other with wide eyes.

“Yeah. If zipper is a euphemism for _penis_ and hole is a euphemism for _vagina_.” Severide said through his teeth.

_“Severide. Little ears.”_ Sylvie replied through her teeth as Severide turned around and looked at the twins sitting behind them eyeing the adults in the room curiously. “I’m going to go make sure Stella is ready. I will see you at the altar” she said with a smile before disappeared.

Matt watched her leave before turning back to Severide who had his arms cross over his chest.

“I can’t believe you had sex at my wedding.” He said in disbelief.

“Yeah because you and Kidd totally didn’t have sex at our wedding _and_ at the boys’ christening.” Matt challenged. They were stupidly late for the ceremony, which was made ten times worse by the fact they were _godparents_.

“… ok we’re even.” Severide conceded before turning around to the twins and bending down. “Ok twinnies – you ready?”

“We’ve got this Uncle Sev, don’t worry.” Jack assured him.

Severide smiled; “I know you do.” He assured them before giving them a fist bump.

The boys rushed out the door to get in position while Severide held back and checked his appearance in the mirror. Matt put his hand on the door handle before turning back to his friend.

“You ready?” he asked.

Severide turned around and smirked, “Hell yeah.”

* * *

The wedding went off without a hitch. The boys proudly walked down the aisle, steadily carrying the rings on the pillow and waved proudly at their dad at the end who gave them an even prouder smile and a wave. He didn’t think it was possible for his heart to love those boys more than it did. He also didn’t think it was possible to love his wife more than he did. As he watched her walk down the aisle he was instantly taken back to their wedding and the feeling he had when he saw her walking towards him. His heart had never felt so full.

Later that evening, Matt and Sylvie were swaying gently on the dance floor with a few couples around them. The twins had passed out on the sofa in the corner of the room after one slice of cake – plus the two extra slices that Ritter and Gallo sneakily gave them – caused a serious sugar rush with a dangerous come down. As soon as they passed out, Sylvie and Matt got them blankets and decided to use the quiet to enjoy the wedding together.

Matt was totally oblivious to the world around him. He was even oblivious to the band that was playing, all he could focus on was Sylvie singing the song softly in his ear and on holding her close to him.

_I’ll never forget, the time we sort of stumbled  
But then we knew, that it takes two to tumble _

_The stars in your eyes, still there as before  
They show us the way, to work, love and pray  
As sweethearts in love   
The years have now passed, and our love still lasts   
Cause everyday, we know to say  
We’re sweethearts in love_

The song ended and moved on to the next, but Matt and Sylvie stayed safely in each other’s arms. Sylvie lifted her head and looked at her husband.

“You look proud.”

Matt smiled, “I am proud. I’m proud that Severide finally settled down…” he joked as Sylvie giggled.

“Yeah, who would have thought your commitment-phobe best friend would make the biggest commitment of all?” she asked as they looked over at Severide and Kidd who were just an enamoured with each other as Matt and Sylvie were.

“I don’t know – I think as soon as he met Kidd he was pretty much sunk.”

Sylvie smiled and nodded, “I agree.”

“I’m also proud that our boys made it down the aisle without fighting or removing their clothes…”

Sylvie closed her eyes and scrunched up her face before letting out a laugh that Matt copied. They really needed to teach the boys the value of clothing.

“They did good. They certainly earned that cake” Sylvie agreed.

“You were right earlier… it is kind of remarkable that we made them.” He said as they looked over at their sleeping boys. “They were my dream. A dream I never thought I would have and I just – I look at them everyday and I am so grateful. Even when they’re jumping off of swings and stripping naked…” he joked. “I am so grateful everyday for _you._ You’re the dream it took me a long time to realise I had. Most days I don’t think I deserve you.”

Sylvie cupped his cheek and affectionately ran her thumb over it, “You deserve all your dreams Matt Casey and I’m grateful that I got to be one of them.”

Matt closed the small gap between them and kissed her delicately.

_“Ugh. Gross. Elliot don’t look.”_ They heard a voice beside them say as they broke apart and turned their heads to see their boys staring at them with scrunched up faces.

“Well, look who’s awake.” Sylvie teased with a little laugh.

“It was a power nap momma, we’re ready for the next stage of the party.” Elliot told her with a wide smile.

“And more cake” Jack quickly added on to the end.

Matt and Sylvie simultaneously quirked an eyebrow. They were relentless on the cake.

“Come here” Sylvie said as she scooped Jack up and started dancing around the room with him while Elliot jumped up on Matt’s shoulders and started to mess around with his parents and brother from an advantageous height. They would deal with any sugar hangovers tomorrow. For now, they would gladly spend whatever time together they could with the people they loved most.


	27. Cute Captain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all your kind comments/kudos since this story was posted! I'm really enjoying writing these little snapshots so it's lovely to see people enjoying reading them. If you have any oneshot requests, please send them my way and I'll see what I can do! 
> 
> For now, Sylvie gets a little jealous... enjoy!

**Cute Captain**

Matt and Sylvie walked towards the fire house; Matt’s arm securely wrapped around his wife’s waist. It was Sylvie’s first day of light duty since she’d announced she was pregnant again to her 51 family. While light duty was something she wanted to do for her baby, she remembered she didn’t particularly enjoy it when she was pregnant with the boys, so she wasn’t in the best of moods today. She tried to be her normal, optimistic self – but it was falling flat most of the time.

“Mackey better not like my replacement more than me…” she mumbled childishly to Matt who chuckled at her. Her replacement was due to start today and of course Sylvie would be as welcoming and accommodating as possible, but she was feeling a little jealous at the prospect of someone else riding with _her_ partner.

“Impossible.” He assured her. “You’ll still be around the firehouse to remind her of what she’s got.”

“I guess… I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be such a downer I just love this job and of _course_ I want to do what’s best for the baby, but it doesn’t make it any less difficult.” Sylvie rambled.

“Hey” Matt said as she stopped walking just by the apparatus floor doors. He kissed the side of her head lingeringly and lovingly to try and comfort her. “I know it’s weird and frustrating, but it will be entirely worth it. It was the last time.”

Sylvie smiled; “I know.” She assured him. She quickly kissed his cheek before moving away from his hold and walking into the firehouse ahead of him.

Just as she walked through the doors, Boden and an unfamiliar face came walking in his direction.

“Ah, just the person we were looking for. Sylvie Brett this is Grace Cruthers, your temporary replacement on 61.” Boden introduced.

Sylvie turned to the woman and smiled, “It’s nice to meet you Grace.” They politely shook hands as Sylvie took her in. She was very pretty. Flowing dark hair, piercing green eyes, immaculately applied make-up. She was young and fresh blood and Sylvie had no doubt she would make a huge impact on the house – in more ways than one.

“You too! I’m excited to get started.” She said enthusiastically.

“I have to make an important call to headquarters, Brett could you make sure she’s introduced to everybody and made to feel welcome?”

Sylvie nodded her head, “Of course chief.”

As Boden walked away Grace looked around her before taking a step forward. “I’m so glad to finally meet another girl, I can already tell there’s a lot of testosterone around here” he said with a little giggled.

Sylvie smiled, “You get used to it.” She assured her. Sylvie was convinced that being in this house was the best thing she could have asked for in preparation for parenting two little risk takers of her own.

Grace smirked, “Oh I am _already_ liking the view…” she confessed as Sylvie looked at her with wide eyes. “I’ve been in a few firehouses since I started in this job, but I didn’t realise this one had so many _hunks_. I could _certainly_ get used to this…” she said as she looked over Sylvie’s shoulder just as Casey walked through the door and began talking to Hermann. “Who is that?”

“Hermann?” Sylvie asked as she looked over her shoulder.

“No, the blonde…” Grace said as she eyed Casey like he was a piece of meat.

“That’s Matt Casey, he’s the Captain here.” Sylvie informed her slowly, eyeing her up and wondering what her game was.

Grace quirked an eyebrow, “ _That’s_ Captain Casey? Well – I heard he was cute, but I didn’t realise he was _that_ cute.”

Sylvie awkwardly laughed; “Yeah, I guess he’s ok…” she said with a little shrug. He was _more_ than ok in her mind, obviously. He was the sexiest man she knew, but she wasn’t about to run her mouth about her husband to the newbie. Besides, she kinda wanted to see how far Grace would take this one…

“Just ok?! I wouldn’t be surprised if you’d jumped his bones by now.” She said with a laugh as Sylvie’s eyes widened again. “Anyway, I guess I better go introduce myself” she said with an eyebrow wiggle as she strutted forward.

Sylvie clenched her jaw and held back for a second. While Grace’s forwardness was frustrating – a little part of her also couldn’t wait to see how awkward Matt got by what she didn’t doubt would be a very forward introduction.

“Captain Casey”

“Yeah” Casey said as he turned from Herman towards Grace, seeing Sylvie walk towards them out of the corner of his eye.

“I’m Grace Cruthers, the new paramedic”

“Ah, Brett’s replacement. It’s nice to meet you, welcome to 51” he said as they shook hands.

“I just wanted to introduce myself and say that I’m really excited to be working with you all. I’ve heard nothing but good things.” She said before flashing him a beaming smile.

Sylvie rolled her eyes – and Matt noticed. He gave her a temporarily distracted funny look before turning back to Grace. “Well I hope you’ll be made to feel right at home.” He told her politely.

“Oh. I don’t doubt I will” she said with a suggestive smirk before sauntering away. Sylvie watched her as she walked away, while Matt kept his eyes dead set on Sylvie.

“You ok?” he asked cautiously.

“Haven’t even made it to my locker today and somebody’s hitting on my baby daddy.” Sylvie grumbled.

Matt smirked and quirked an eyebrow; “ _Wow_ , is that all I am to you? A _sperm donor_?” he joked as they turned and walked in the direction of the lockers. “And who was hitting on me?”

“The new paramedic.”

“What? She was just being friendly—”

Sylvie turned and looked at him, “she told me before she went over to you that you were super cute and she wouldn’t be surprised if I’d jumped your bones by now.”

“Well… you _have_ jumped my bones. You jumped my bones _this morning_ —” he began before Sylvie glared at him. He held his hands up in surrender. “She’s harmless babe.”

Sylvie nodded her head, “Oh I know. I’m just kind of in intrigued as to how far she’s going to take it…”

“… what are you planning?”

“I’m not planning anything.” Sylvie said with a shrug. “I’m just not going to tell her I _regularly_ jump your bones and she what happens.” She said with a tight lipped smile before patting his chest before walking on.

Matt smirked, “This is going to be interesting.”

**

“I think it’s so awesome that you’re having a baby as a PIC.” Grace told Sylvie later that say as they sat in the bunk room. “I mean – being a mom and having this job is going to be _tough.”_

Sylvie smiled, “Yeah, this is my third baby, so I know _all about_ tough” she told them.

“Three kids? _Wow._ You must be superwoman.” Grace said with a little laugh. “What does your husband do? Apologies if I’m assuming, I just saw your wedding rings…”

“Oh, it’s fine” Sylvie assured her. “He’s a firefighter.” She said vaguely.

“Oh, how cool!” Grace said again. Sylvie couldn’t fault her for her enthusiasm and interest in the people around her. “What house is he at?”

Before Sylvie could answer, the bunk room door opened and Casey and Severide appeared with two white boxes.

“Ladies. A special treat on Boden’s orders” Severide said as he opened the box to reveal a whole selection of donuts.

Sylvie eyes widened, “Oh my god I have been craving one of these all morning!” she exclaimed. “Did you do this?” she asked Matt with narrowed eyes. She was fairly convinced that Matt had been the one to convince Boden that this donut fix was needed.

Matt smirked, “I thought you could use a little pick me up.” He told her as he opened his box. “Your favourite flavour is in this one.”

“You are a real-life superhero.” Sylvie teased. “Not because you save the city from engulfing flames, but because you provide for this house. You provide the essentials for _survival_.”

Matt chuckled, “Glad I can be of assistance… Grace, you seemed like a chocolate girl.”

“Good guess captain” she said as she took the donut from him. “You are very tuned in to the _needs_ of this house…” she said as she eyed him up and down. “Not many Captains can say that.” She bit into her donut slowly and deliberately seductively as Severide looked between Matt and Sylvie, completely confused. “I’m going to get a napkin” Grace announced before leaving the bunk room.

Once the door had closed Severide let out a laugh, “What the hell was that?!”

“Sylvie thinks Cruthers has a thing for me.”

“Well you are the cutest Captain in all of Chicago” Severide teased as Matt shoved him. “Doesn’t she know about you two?”

“Sylvie’s testing her.”

“I am not _testing_ her” Sylvie told them as she stood up. “I’m just having a little bit of fun… God knows I need it from being stuck around here all day.” She grumbled.

“And it’s that positive spirit that’s going to get you through it.” Severide said sarcastically as Sylvie glared. “Good luck!” he called before walking out of the bunk room to deliver the rest of the donuts.

“So… apparently I’m very tuned in to the needs of this house…” Casey said as he walked towards her and wrapped his arm around her waist.

“So I hear… but I already knew that. You’re very tuned in to what people need…” she said as their lips hovered dangerously close to one another’s. “In more ways than one.”

Matt gulped, “I have ten minutes before I need to meet with Boden—”

 _“Done.”_ Sylvie said as she pulled him towards his quarters.

* * *

That evening, Sylvie made her way out onto the apparatus floor, just as everyone came back from a call. She watched as Casey jumped out of the truck, looking a little bit rugged from whatever they were attending to. Her attention soon turned to Mackey and Cruthers. Mackey came walking towards her with a frustrated look on her face.

“Did you know the newbie has the hots for Casey?” she asked Sylvie.

Sylvie laughed and put her hands in her pockets. “Oh, I know.”

“Fair warning, she’ll probably come over here and tell you all about how sexy it was to see them all in action, but _especially_ Casey. She _loves_ a man in charge.” Mackey mocked before walking away as Sylvie bit her lip to stop her from laughing.

“Hey Brett!” Grace greeted. “God, what an _insane_ call!”

“Yeah, aren’t they so good at what they do? _Especially_ Casey.” Sylvie teased as they turned to look at him while he took off his gear.

Grace smirked, “Tell me about it. He’s just so _manly_ …”

“Momma!” Sylvie heard from the doors as she turned and saw Elliot and Jack running towards her.

“Hi babies!” she greeted as she bent down and hugged and kissed them both. “What are you two doing here?” she asked before looking up at their nanny, Joanna.

“We were passing the house and they wanted to come say hi” Joanna explained with a little laugh.

“Well I am certainly glad you did” she said with a wink. “Daddy is going to be so glad to see you two!”

“Daddy? Your husband works _here_?” Grace asked.

Sylvie smiled and nodded her head, “Yeah.”

The other firefighters soon spotted the littlest Caseys and erupted in hellos before coming over and giving them high fives, fist bumps and hair ruffles which they gladly accepted. They loved feeling like part of the team.

“Hey little Caseys” Matt greeted happily as he bent down and scooped his boys up, hugging them tightly and giving them kisses.

Grace’s eyes widened. _Little Caseys?_ Sylvie’s kids were the Captain’s kids?

“Dad you’re covered in dirt!” Jack said as he wiped a little hand down Matt’s face, causing him to scrunch his nose to protect his eyes from Jacks’ harsher than intended rubbing.

“That’s cause we were just out on a call.” Matt told them.

Sylvie walked towards them, “And now _your_ hand is all covered in dirt…” she said as she reached for a towel and wiped Jack’s hand.

“You- you’re married?” Grace asked as she pointed between the two of them.

Sylvie and Matt looked up at her; “Yeah” they replied at the same time.

Grace stood there a little shocked for a moment before smiling, putting her hands on her hips and letting out a little laugh; “I should have guessed. He’s been looking at you with doe eyes all day.” She said as everything started to click into place. “I know you couldn’t possibly have resisted jumping his bones…” she teased with a wink as Sylvie let out a laugh.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” Sylvie apologised as she took a step towards Grace while the boys began chatting animatedly to Matt.

“I’m sorry I made it seem like I was going to jump him.” Grace apologised. “Does he get this often? Also – _you_ must get this often too. Seriously, you both look like _dolls_ …” she told them.

Sylvie let out a laugh, “This is a first” She said before she gazed up at Matt while he listened to Jack and Elliot tell him about their day. The boys were basically talking over the top of one another as they tried to explain their new game to Matt and it was virtually incoherent, but even after a difficult and tiring call, his enthusiasm and interest levels didn’t look like they were about to dip at all. He just loved his boys _so_ much and he would happily listen to them talk nonsense all day.

“But I get it—” Sylvie said with a little smile; “he definitely is one cute Captain.”


	28. Eyes are Windows to the Soul

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Thank you again to everyone who is engaging with this story - you're all great! I'm currently working on a little oneshot that imagines where Brettsey could go at the start of season 9... so stay tuned for that! I should have it finished over the next couple of days.
> 
> For now - Martha and Peter Brett are in town... enjoy!

**Eyes are Windows to the Soul**

Sylvie sat on the end of Matt’s bed pulling her shoes on. It was the height of summer in Chicago and Sylvie’s parents announced that they were coming to Chicago last minute to spend some time with their daughter. Sylvie’s mother made multiple passive aggressive comments about never getting to see her daughter, so she was _having_ to take action and come up to Chicago for the weekend.

Sylvie knew there was more to this visit than her parents just wanting to see her. They also wanted to see someone else. They wanted to see Matt Casey in the flesh. They’d been together for around 6 months now and while Sylvie had met Christie and Violet and Matt had met her brother Tom, they’d yet to meet the parents. Matt figured it was highly unlikely that Sylvie would meet his mother any time soon, but he had been looking forward to meeting Martha and Peter Brett. He figured he would like anybody who raised someone as sweet as Sylvie – he just hoped they liked him in return. 

Sylvie walked towards the mirror sitting on top of the dresser and pulled her hair up into a slick ponytail. She knew this weather was going to kick her ass, so she needed to do whatever she could to prevent any unnecessary misery. As she finished tying the band, Matt came into the room from the bathroom, just dressed in his boxers.

She turned around and eyed him curiously, seeing that he looked a little distressed.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“… I don’t know what to wear.” He grumbled as Sylvie bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.

“What do you mean you don’t know what to wear? It’s 80 degrees, wear a t-shirt.”

“I’m meeting your parents I have to make a good impression.” He reasoned. He wanted her parents to like him and he wanted them to see that this was going to last. That Sylvie wasn’t going to be left heartbroken or have yet another failed engagement. He also wanted them to look past _his_ failed engagement and failed marriage…

Sylvie stepped forward and delicately rested her hands on his cheeks; “They will love you because you’re _you_ , not for the colour of your shirt.” She said as she gave him a quick kiss. “Besides, my parents live on a farm, they’re used to not looking in pristine condition. They’ll want to see you relaxed Matt, put on your white t-shirt. I like it.”

“Ok…” he mumbled as he walked towards his drawers. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous to meet somebody’s parents before. Maybe in high school, but my first girlfriend’s father kept a shotgun by the door so I don’t think it was unreasonable to be nervous” he joked as he pulled the t-shirt over his head.

“They’re excited to meet you Matt. My mother has a good feeling about you and that is high praise indeed.” Sylvie told him. She’d spoken a lot about Matt over the years and Martha always asked about him. _“How’s your friend Matt doing? He just seems so wonderful Sylvie, I’m glad you’ve met some nice people in Chicago.”_ Was her common phrase. Sylvie knew she was always suggesting if there could ever be more there, but she knew better than to push Sylvie when it came to the men in her life.

“Is this acceptable?” he asked as he turned around and held out his arms for inspection.

Sylvie crossed her arms and smiled, “You look perfect, as usual. It’s also totally not fair that you tan so well. I burn when it’s overcast…” she said as she looked at her arms which didn’t look like they’d seen the sun let alone been out in the blistering heat of it for the past few weeks.

Matt smirked, “My dad’s side of the family are Australian, they’re predisposed to be able to survive in ridiculous temperatures.”

“Hm. Good to know.” Sylvie remarked. “Come on, we’re going to be late.” She said as she bounced out of the room and Matt dragged his feet behind her.

* * *

Soon enough, Sylvie and Matt had arrived at the park they had arranged to meet her parents at. Martha and Peter were keen to meet all of Sylvie’s Chicago family, so they’d arranged a little off shift BBQ. It seemed silly not to take full advantage of the weather.

When they got to the park, everyone bar Sylvie’s parents were already there. Joe was manning the BBQ, Stella and Emily were setting up the food table and Severide was dutifully manning the drinks cooler as Hermann unloaded a few things he had brought from Molly’s.

“Hey guys” Sylvie greeted happily as they all returned their greeted. “Any sign of my parents?”

Stella was about to reply with a not yet when they heard a voice from down the path shout; “Sylvie! Honey!”

Sylvie shot around and smiled widely, seeing her parents rushing towards her.

“Mom, dad!” she said with a little laugh as she jogged to meet them halfway, engulfing them in a huge hug.

“Oh, honey we’ve missed you so much, look at you!” Martha said as she pulled away from the hug and held onto her daughter’s hands and took her in. “You’re _glowing_ , it’s she glowing Peter?” Martha is.

Peter smirked, “My little girl is always radiant.” He confirmed.

“That is definitely from the heat…” Sylvie joked.

“No, it’s just – it’s just _you_.” Martha said proudly.

“Mom, why are you looking at me like it’s the first time you’ve ever seen me?” Sylvie asked with a little laugh. Her mom was looking at her with such wonder – it was sweet but a little unnerving.

Martha leaned in a little closer and smiled, “It’s the first time I’ve ever seen you _in love_.”

Sylvie looked at her with wide eyes and a smile she couldn’t help but show. Martha Brett was not a subtle woman, and she’d just proven it. Apparently, Sylvie looked a little different when in love. Who knew?

“Come on, let me introduce you to everyone” Sylvie said as she ushered her parents over to her friends who had been waiting patiently to meet them. “Guys this is my mom Martha and my dad Peter, mom, dad – this is everyone I guess” she said with a little laugh as they all said hi.

“It is so lovely to finally meet you all. I can’t wait to get talking to you all individually and of course – hear what stories you have to tell about our little Sylvie.” Martha said excitedly.

Matt watched as Sylvie beamed at her parents and blushed a little in embarrassment. She was clearly dreading some of the stories their friends might dig up. Matt was also surprised seeing Sylvie beside her parents. Somehow, despite being adopted, you would never have been able to tell that she was. She looked like her parents and she looked like her brother. Matt had seen photos of them before, but it was only seeing them together that he really saw the resemblance. Maybe it was more about nurture than nature after all. Maybe we do become like the people who raise us rather than the people who make us.  
  
He was snapped out of his trance when Sylvie pulled her parents towards him.

“Mom, dad, this is Matt” she introduced.

“It’s really nice to finally meet you both” Matt said sincerely as he shook Peter’s hand and hugged Martha. Sylvie had warned him in advance that she was a hugger, so he was more than prepared.

“Oh, Sylvie you didn’t tell us he was so _handsome_ …” Martha ‘whispered’ to her daughter as she closed her eyes and smirked, causing Matt to blush slightly.

“I didn’t think his ego needed that” Sylvie joked as Matt playfully poked her side.

“Brett!” Emily called, “Will you come help us with this? We need your motherly guidance to stop any disputes.” She joked. Clearly, she and Stella were having some trouble agreeing on how to arrange the table.

Sylvie chuckled, “I’m coming” she said as she smiled briefly at her parents and Matt before rushing over to her friends.

Matt watched as Sylvie ran away before turning back to Peter and Martha, who were staring at him again with the same sense of wonder they stared at Sylvie with.

“Sylvie was so excited about you guys coming down for the weekend. She has a lot planned” Matt told them as he put his hands in his pockets.

“Yes, it’s been a long time since we’ve been to Chicago. It’ll be great to see what’s changed” Peter replied.

“Best city in the world, but I was born and raised here so I might be a little bias” Matt joked as the Brett’s smiled.

“Yes, Sylvie is very fond of this place… but I sense it’s maybe the people that make her love it so much.” Martha said sincerely.

“Chicago’s lucky to have her” Matt replied as he turned to look at Sylvie while she helped their friends. _“I’m_ lucky to have her” he added. He didn’t want to jump into a big speech about how much he loved their daughter the moment he’d met them, despite how much he wanted to shout it from the roof tops, so he figured this was a start.

Martha smiled widely at Matt; “You love her.” She said softly, almost as if she was having an epiphany.

Matt turned back to face them. He wasn’t entirely sure what to say, so he just nodded his head, smiled and let out a little laugh, “Yeah. I do.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to sound surprised, I just – I didn’t expect to see that look in your eyes.” Martha said as Peter stood beside her, smiling in a knowing agreement. Matt quickly gathered that Peter Brett was the strong silent type, whereas Martha was much more open with what she thought.

“Look?” Matt questioned, not entirely sure what she meant.

“I knew Sylvie was in love because every time we spoke on the camera, she had the biggest _smile_ on her face – and I can tell you’re in love because of your eyes. The way you just looked at her, I—" Martha said, finding it hard to express exactly what she meant. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody look at anybody the way you look at my daughter.”

It finally clicked with Matt what Martha was talking about. Love is in the eyes. He knows that, he sees it in Sylvie’s – but he never really considered what his eyes gave away.

Suddenly, Martha stepped forward and engulfed Matt in a hug. “Thank you for loving her like that. She deserves nothing more than to be loved through someone’s eyes.”

* * *

Later that evening, Matt and Sylvie were strolling through the streets of Chicago after leaving her parents back at their hotel. They’d had a great time together today. Sylvie didn’t realise how good it would feel to have her parents and her 51 family together. They got along great. Her parents had often struggled with her choice to leave Fowlerton, but they could now see as clear as day why she did – and they were grateful that she did. How could they not be?

“Where are we heading, your truck’s that way?” Sylvie asked as Matt pulled her along the street in the opposite direction.

“I want to show you something” he said with a little twinkle in his eye.

Sylvie quirked an eyebrow; “Hm… mysterious.”

“You’ll like it, I promise.” He assured her as she nodded her head. She trusted him with all the little and big things in life, so she knew that his assurance was true.

They walked on a little further, moving into a more suburban part of Chicago. “Do you ever notice how I look at you?” Matt asked abruptly, breaking the pleasant silence between them.

“What do you mean?” Sylvie asked, her arm looped through his as his hands rested awkwardly in his short pockets. He never did know what to do with his hands when he was about to get a little soppy.

“Your mom mentioned it to me earlier. She said she could tell I was in love with you by how I was looking at you.” He told her as he looked her in the eyes.

Sylvie smiled. Immediately she was brought back to the comment she made a few years ago:

_“Just give her that solemn Matt Casey look, the ‘I genuinely care about what you’re saying thing’ that you’re doing right now! I guarantee she melts.”_

Except this time, the look he gave her was so much more. It went beyond caring and straight into the heart.

“My mother’s got great instincts” Sylvie said with a smile. “and yeah. I notice. When I’m trying to be funny, your eyes laugh before your mouth does. When I’m sad your eyes start to water before mine do” she said with a little laugh that he couldn’t help but smirk at. “When I need encouraged your eyes tell me that I have a brilliant mind that can do anything.” She said as Matt stopped and turned to look at her. “It’s like when you look at me, you see everything you want and you feel damn lucky to have it.”

Matt looked at her with that same wonder for a few minutes. She noticed. Of course she noticed, she notices every little thing about him. She takes the time to notice because she loves him.

“That sounds about right” he said with a gulp as he nodded his head.

“My dad always said that the look in someone’s eyes can tell a greater picture than a thousand words could.” Sylvie told him.

Peter hadn’t said anything when Martha was talking to him earlier, but now Matt knew – he felt the same way. He could see how much he loved Sylvie and he didn’t need Matt to go on a big spiel about it. His eyes said a thousand words and more.

“Well, I’ll be sure to look at your eyes for an honest opinion when I show you this…” he said as they turned around to face where Matt had brought them.

“Um… it’s a house. A very _derelict_ looking house. Beautiful architecture though, wow.” Sylvie said as she admired the townhouse. Although it was rundown, it clearly had a lot of life in it.

“Yeah… I’m thinking of buying it.” Matt announced as Sylvie’s head shot around to look at him.

“What?”

“I mean it needs a heck of a lot of work and it would take a long time to complete, especially on my salary but – I think it would be worth it.” He said as Sylvie just continued to look at him with her mouth slightly agape. “But I didn’t want to do it without talking to you about it first. If I buy this it will be bought for us. As the house we’ll raise our kids in and the house we’ll grow old in… plus I know how much you love a fixer-upper.” He said with a wink.

Sylvie smiled widely, “You’re amazing.”

“Only because I’m in love” he said without missing a beat.

“If we do this – I want it to be a purchase both of us make. You shouldn’t have to buy a house like this on your own.”

“I have a lot of money saved up and I got a huge pay-out from the fire in my old condo that I haven’t touched. It’s just sitting there, waiting to be used on this.” Matt assured her. “Besides, it’s not that expensive cause it’s so rundown, despite being in a really nice area of town.”

“Ok, I’ll make you a deal.” She said, realising that he wasn’t going to let her chip in on this one. “You can buy it – but we fix it up with both of our pay cheques. Deal?”

Matt smiled, “Ok, deal.”

Matt wrapped an arm around her waist as the both stared at the house; “This is going to be our home…” Sylvie said quietly. She couldn’t quite believe that after all the relationships that burned before her she was standing here with Matt, staring at their forever home. The home that they would raise their kids in, the home that they would spend the rest of their lives together in. It almost felt too good to be true – but then she turned and looked in his eyes and knew that it was.

“I love you” she said as he knocked his nose against hers.

“I love you more.”


	29. Louie

**Louie**

It was a Thursday afternoon and 51 were just about ready to collapse. They’d been called out on call after call and it felt like it was never going to end. It was also Sylvie’s first shift back after Annie was born. While she missed her baby like crazy, having a new-born and two boisterous 4-year-olds to look after was _no joke_ and she strangely welcomed the chaos of 51 back into her life. Mom fatigue was _also_ no joke. Every time they got back to the firehouse, she went straight to the bunk room for a nap.

“Hey sleepy head” Matt greeted as Sylvie dragged her feet into his office after her 5th call since lunch time.

“Hi” she grumbled before curling up in a ball on his bed.

Matt snorted, “Rough day?”

_“Long_ day… I’m not agile enough for this anymore Casey. I thought I was ok shape considering I gave birth three months but _no_. I’m _weak_.” She moaned dramatically as he smiled at her.

“You’re being too hard on yourself. It’s an unusually busy day and you’ve been out of action for a while.” He reasoned. He was always the one to build her up, even when she was being deliberately overdramatic.

Sylvie raised her hand and motioned for him to come towards her; “Come lay down with me.”

“Boden needs this paperwork—"

“This is _much_ more important.” She reasoned.

Matt sighed and smiled. He really couldn’t say no to her. He shouldn’t have even tried. He got off his chair and lay down beside her, allowing her to roll over and snuggle into his chest. They both closed their eyes as he wrapped his arm tightly around her.

“This silence is bliss…” Sylvie began. “But I miss Annie’s gurgles, and Jack and Elliot playing firefighter.”

Matt chuckled deeply and Sylvie smiled at the vibrations of his chest against her cheek. She loved hearing him laugh.

“Annie’s gurgles are pretty cute, and Jack and Elliot are definitely the best 4-year-old firefighters Chicago could have asked for…” he agreed.

They managed to lie in silence for a further 5 minutes before the alarms went off, causing them both to jump slightly.

“Well – it was nice while it lasted” Sylvie said as she looked up at Matt who leaned his head down and quickly kissed her.

“Let’s go” he said as they both rolled off the bed.

* * *

After responding to a minor fire in a science lab at a local school, the crew were tidying up so they could head back to the firehouse. Luckily, no one had been injured so ambo had already been sent back. As Matt put his helmet into the truck, he heard a voice behind him.

“Excuse me… are you Matt Casey?” the voice asked as Matt turned around and stopped in a stunned silence.

_“… Louie.”_ He said in an almost whisper. He couldn’t believe this. His former foster son was standing in front of him, all grown up. He was 12 years old now, but he still looked like the same little boy Matt knew and deeply loved.

“You remember me” Louie said with a little smile.

Matt took a step forward, “I could never forget you.” He said with a smile. “I uh – I can’t believe you remembered me. You were so little…”

Louie nodded his head, “Yeah, I remember you. Well – the _idea_ of you and, it probably sounds weird but also the feeling I had when I lived with you. It was a _good_ feeling. My dad always makes a point to tell me about what you and your wife did for me.”

Matt didn’t know what to say. He was touched that Louie remembered even the idea of him let alone that his father made sure he remembered them.

“Is uh – is this your school?” Matt asked as he motioned to the building behind them.

“Yeah” Louie said with a little laugh. “I mean, fires are terrible, but I’m not complaining about getting let out of school early…” he joked.

“Last time I checked you were a pretty smart kid. I figured you’d be a highflyer.”

Louie shrugged, “I do ok… I get a little bored sometimes though.”

Matt smirked. He knew that was code for ‘yeah I do amazingly well, and my school doesn’t stretch me enough.’

“You used to wear a grey shirt, right?” Louie asked as Matt looked down at his chest.

“Yeah, yeah I did. I’m a captain now. Captains wear white.”

“That’s so cool… you know I’m a young firefighters club. I’ve had this truck since I was a little kid and ever since I’ve just been so interested in the job. I guess you inspired me young” he said with a wide smile.

“Yeah, Gabby bought you that truck. You loved it.” Matt remembered all too fondly. Jack and Elliot had similar toy trucks and they were just as obsessed. He always thought it was in their nature to like it since it was what their parents did, but Louie was making him rethink it. Maybe there was more nurture involved in that sort of thing than he’d anticipated.

“Is Gabby around?” Louie asked as he peered behind Matt to see if he could spot his former foster mother. “I’d love to say hi”

Matt shifted awkwardly, “She lives in Puerto Rico now. Relief work.” He explained as Louie nodded sadly. “She would have loved to have seen you. I could give you her number or email or something if you wanted to talk to her—”

“Maybe another time.” Louie said. “I think I’d prefer to leave these kinds of meetings up to chance.”

Matt chuckled, “That’s very profound for a 12-year-old.”

Louie smirked. Somehow, and Matt wasn’t sure how, his smirk reminded him of Gabby.

“My dad always said that you and Gabby were destined to be parents. You were too good to not be.” Louie said as Matt looked at his feet. He was destined to be a parent, just not with Gabby. “But she’s in Puerto Rico and you’re wearing a ring…”

He observed as Matt looked down at his left hand at the platinum band on his finger. He normally took his ring off for work, but for some reason he forgot to today. He smiled. “Yeah, I got married about 5 years ago. I don’t know if you remember her, Sylvie, she's a paramedic here." he explained.

“Yeah, I remember her. I really liked her” Louie said with another encouraging smile. It was clear that he was happy to see Matt happy.

“And I guess I _was_ destined to be a dad. I have three little monsters and I love them more than anything.” He boasted.

“You were a great dad to me. Those kids are very lucky” Louie complimented. Matt rarely thought about his kids being lucky to have him. He always thought about how lucky they were to have Sylvie and how lucky _he_ was to have _them,_ but never the other way around. He figured it was in his nature to be annoyingly modest and self-deprecating.

“You seem happy Louie… are you happy?” Matt asked. He knew it seemed like a silly and vague question, but it was all he could come up with right now.

Louie nodded, “Yeah, I’m happy. I have a really good life and it’s all thanks to you. You saved me and I will always be grateful.”

“If you ever need anything, at all, you know where to find me.” Matt told him seriously. He would move mountains for Louie if he asked. He may have done a lot for Louie, but Louie had done just as much for him.

“Thanks Captain” he half-joked. “I better get going, my dad’s waiting for me. I’ll see you!” he said happily as he ran away.

* * *

Matt walked around the firehouse like a shadow for the rest of shift. He was still a little stunned from seeing Louie. He was so grateful that he did, and he was so happy that he was happy, but it didn’t shock him any less. He figured it would take him a while to process it all – and he was right. He went straight from shift to a job that lasted the whole day, so he was left to get stuck inside his head. He didn’t get home till well after his kids were in bed. When he walked through the front door, he found the house annoyingly quiet. He’d spent the last day inside his own head, he just wanted to hear Annie’s gurgles and Jack and Elliot playing firefighter.

He hung up his coat and dragged his feet upstairs, ready to collapse for the night. When he got to his room, he undid the cuffs of his sleeves before looking up and stopping in his treks. He let out a silent laugh at the scene in front of him. Annie lay in her bassinet – while Sylvie, Jack and Elliot lay sprawled across the bed, fast asleep. It appeared that Sylvie had yet to recover from her shift.

He silently got ready for bed, making sure not to wake them. Soon enough, he was gently pushing Elliot into the middle of the bed so he could climb in. The boys did this every now and again. They would clamber into their parent’s bed and somehow end up lying horizontally across them with their feet in their parents’ faces by the morning. Right now, Matt couldn’t think of anything better than their tiny toes in his face.

As the bed dipped, Sylvie stirred and smiled when she realised he was home.

“Long time no see stranger” she joked groggily.

“I’m sorry, the job took longer than I expected” he said as he reached over and ran his hand affectionately over her hair.

“Well I tried to get these monsters into their _own_ beds, but I was too exhausted…” she said with a defeated sigh. “Though now that they’re here, I don’t really mind” she said as she lovingly looked down at her boys.

“I saw Louie yesterday.” Matt blurted out as Sylvie suddenly felt a lot more awake.

“Oh, wow… how is he?” Sylvie immediately asked, wanting Matt to tell her everything.

“He’s good. Really good. He has the life that we always wanted for him.” Matt told her positively.

“Why do I feel like there’s a but coming in?” Sylvie asked as she reached over the boys and gently rubbed his arm.

“He has a really good life and that makes me _so_ happy… but it was still _hard_ , and it doesn’t make me miss him any less.” He confessed sadly. He felt so selfish saying so, but it was the truth. If he couldn’t tell Sylvie that, who could he tell?

“I know.” She said with a little nod. She knew how much Matt missed Louie. How could he not? “But he _remembered_ you Matt.” She said with an encouraging smile. “He remembered how you made him feel and that will stand him in good stead for the rest of his life. You have to focus on that. You gave him so much and I’m sure that he knows that if he ever needs anything you will be right there.”

Matt nodded his head, knowing Sylvie was right. He and Louie had both essentially said the same thing yesterday.

“He told me that I was destined to be a dad” he told her as he rested his nose against Elliot’s fair hair and wrapped his hand around Jack’s little forearm.

Sylvie smiled, “You definitely were. You made some pretty great kids Matt Casey. You also looked after another pretty great one – all four of them are better for having you as a parent.”

“I love you” he whispered.

Sylvie winked at him silently before drifting back to sleep. Matt stayed awake for a few more minutes just staring at his family. He listened as Annie gurgled where she lay. He groaned when Elliot accidentally kicked him in the crotch. He chuckled as Jack had a tickle on his nose and smacked himself in his sleep. He smiled lovingly at the sight of his wife looking so angelic as she slept across from him.

He’d seen through a lot of heartache and hardship in his life, but he didn’t regret a single moment of it – because those moments brought him right here to his family.


	30. Screwing With Dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! It's been a while since we've seen the teenage Casey kids... Jack gets himself into some trouble this chapter.
> 
> Enjoy!

**Screwing with Dreams**

It was a little after midnight and all was silent in the Casey house. It was a Friday night and Matt and Sylvie had shift the next day, so they liked to get to sleep early. This was always a little difficult for them when their kids were out of the house. They were anxious sleepers until the moment they heard their teenagers come through the front door and up the stairs. Since Annie was only 13, she had an earlier curfew, but it was the twins they worried about. They’d both recently got their driver’s licences and their grandpa insisted on buying them a car to share – another reason for Matt and Sylvie’s anxieties to be pushed through the roof.

But all was silent in the Casey house. Annie was in her room and Elliot was in his. Matt lay asleep, snuggled into his wife’s back, an arm securely around her. It was a light sleep as he waited for Jack to appear through the door. He made a mental note to have a word with him about breaking curfew in the morning.

Suddenly, Matt felt some light shining on his face he opened an eye and squinted at the door and saw Elliot’s silhouette lightened by the hallway lamp.

“Elliot? What’s wrong?” Matt asked quickly as he sat up and turned the lamp on, causing Sylvie to stir awake.

“This uh – this is going to sound strange but… I just have a feeling something’s happened to Jack.” He told him.

“What do you mean?” Matt asked as Sylvie sat up too, suddenly a lot more awake.

“I can’t sleep and call it twin telepathy I don’t know but I just – I don’t have a good feeling in the pit of my stomach.” Elliot told them with a gulp. He and Jack often had feelings like this. They knew it was common in identical twins, but they were fairly sold that feeling your twin’s pain, identical or not, was most definitely a thing.

Matt looked at Sylvie; “Call him”

“Already tried… he’s not picking up.” Elliot explained.

Before Matt could suggest they go and look for him, his cell phone started to vibrate and light up from the nightstand. He picked it up and gulped when he saw the name flash across it.

“What’s going on?” Annie asked as she appeared at the door, having heard the grumblings from her room.

“… it’s Will Halstead.” Matt said in a barely there whisper as Sylvie felt the tears form in her eyes already.

Elliot immediately wrapped an arm around his sister, more as a support for him than anything.

“Hello?”

“Hey Matt, it’s Will… listen, you guys need to get down to Med. Jack was in a car accident with Charlotte tonight.” Will said, referring to Jack’s girlfriend. “We’ll talk when you get here, they’re ok, they are in surgery, but they’re ok.”

“Ok, we’ll be right there” Matt said, almost as if he was in a daze.

When he hung up the phone, Sylvie was already putting her clothes on. She knew what Will was going to say before he’d even said it.

“Car accident, right?” Sylvie asked. Matt simply nodded his head before turning to Elliot and Annie.

“Get dressed” he told them as they nodded and rushed back into their rooms.

“I know it was a stupid idea to let dad get them that _damn_ car.” Sylvie grumbled as she angrily put on her clothes, struggling to pull her top the right way out. She was in a zone. It was a mixture of an angry mother and an angry first responder who knew she needed to get out the door as quickly as she could.

“Sylvie, _Sylvie.”_ Matt said as he walked towards her and held her shoulder steady. He saw the tears in her eyes – that was the worried and anxious mother coming through. _“He’s ok.”_ He made clear. Sylvie froze and nodded her head. “Even if he wasn’t ok… he’s a Casey. They’re strong as hell and they always pull through.” He added on. Matt had every confidence that her son would be ok, but it didn’t make the whole thing any less scary.

* * *

When they got to the hospital, they were instructed to wait in the family room until Jack’s doctors could come and update them. They hated not knowing, but what else could they do? Eventually, their firehouse family all trickled through the doors – Severide, Kidd, Hermann, Boden, Gallo, Ritter, Cruz, Mackey, Foster. Everyone who the Caseys treated like family.

Sylvie sat anxiously shaking her leg and staring into space. Her eyes hadn’t dried since the moment Elliot came into their bedroom. How could they? Her son was in surgery and she had no idea what was going on. She looked around her at all the people in the room. Annie was snuggled against Severide, her tired eyes severely giving her away. Elliot was standing by the door, starring into space. He looked so lost without his other half as everyone so poetical described them. She turned beside her and saw Matt sitting, staring straight back at her. She knew he was trying to be the strong one right now, but she could tell his exterior was fading. He opened his mouth to say something, but he just couldn’t find the words. Instead, Sylvie grabbed his hand and held it tightly in hers as the only form of comfort she could give right now.

“Matt, Sylvie?” they heard from the door as everyone jumped up and rushed over for news on Jack from Will. “Jack is very lucky. He has a small injury to his spleen, no internal damage. He also has a broken rib and a cracked wrist.”

“Oh my god…” Sylvie said as she let out an audible sob, one that she’d been holding in for the longest time. “What about Charlotte?” she asked immediately.

“She’s ok too. The air bag broke her nose and she had some gashes that she needed stitched, but she’ll be fine. Her parents are in LA, we’ve called them and they’re on their way back.” Will explained.

“It’s ok, we’ll look out for her until then.” Matt said. They would always look after anybody their children loved.

“Can we see him?” Sylvie asked desperately as she tried to keep her tear in check.

“Yeah. He’s sedated, so he’s not conscious, but you can see him.” He said as he motioned for them to come forward. Elliot was first to lead the charge, clearly desperate to see his brother, while Matt, Sylvie and Annie followed suit.

* * *

Matt, Sylvie, Elliot and Annie all say by Jack’s bedside for the next few hours, waiting for him to wake up. They hadn’t quite anticipated just how banged up he would look. He had a few gashes across his forehead and neck and his ribs and wrist were bandaged up.

It wasn’t until the early hours of the morning he began to stir awake.

“Hey, hey” Sylvie said quickly as they all rushed forward.

“What—what happened? Where am I?” Jack grumbled out in a panicked manner.

“It’s ok honey, it’s mom, you’re ok. You were in an accident but you’re fine, everything’s fine.” She said as she ran her hand over his blonde hair.

“Try not to move too much Jack, you have a cracked rib and an injured spleen.” Matt explained.

“Charlotte?” Jack croaked out.

“She’s fine sweetie.” Sylvie assured him.

“You’re an _asshole_.” Elliot mumbled from the door as their heads all shot round to look at him.

 _“Elliot.”_ Sylvie warned through her teeth. What had gotten into him? His brother was safe and he was calling him an asshole?

“No, I deserve that.” Jack grumbled as he looked guiltily at his family. “It was my fault.”

“Jack… what happened out there?” Matt asked quietly.

Jack gulped and looked at his hands, “I’m really tired, can we talk about this another time?”

Sylvie nodded her head, a little reluctantly “Sure honey. I’ll get April to come check on you, ok?”

He nodded his head before closing his eyes. As they all left the room, Matt swore he saw a single tear fall down Jack’s cheek.

“What the heck is your problem Elliot?” Annie asked when they got into the waiting room. “Jack’s in a serious accident and you call him an asshole?” she challenged. It really didn’t seem like the time.

“Yeah, cause he is one! He even admitted it was his fault!” Elliot exclaimed. “He’s an asshole for doing that to himself, he’s an asshole for doing that to Charlotte and he’s an asshole for doing that to _me_ – us. To _us_.” He clarified.

Annie, Matt and Sylvie all remained silent, finally seeing the cause of Elliot’s outburst. He was mad at his brother for making him worry so much. He was mad that he could be so reckless.

“Look, we don’t know what happened out there. Let’s just wait till he feels a little better and we can talk this out. There’s no need to be calling anyone an asshole right now, we just need to be thankful that he and Charlotte are ok.” Matt reasoned.

“Fine. Annie, you want to come check on Charlotte?” he asked his little sister who nodded her head and followed Elliot back into the ward.

* * *

The following morning Will gave Jack the all clear to head home as long as he rested for the next few weeks to allow his rib and spleen to heal properly. While Jack was glad to get home, there was a lot he was worried about. Charlotte’s parents had arrived the following morning and were furious about what happened. They’d basically banned Charlotte from seeing him, but Matt and Sylvie assured him that they’d calm down eventually. He was also nervous about having his parents watching him like a hawk. They were waiting for him to finally tell them what happened before the police did and he was so nervous about how they’d react. He didn’t do anything on purpose, but he certainly wasn’t being as cautious as he should have been. He was also nervous about his brother. While Annie was just glad that he was ok, Elliot was still being frosty. He didn’t want to fall out with his brother, especially considering he was also his best friend.

The following morning, Jack was sitting up in bed when Sylvie came into the room.

“Hi honey. I’ve got you some tea and some toast. It’s good to keep up your strength” she said as she handed him the cup and plate before fixing his pillows into a more comfortable position. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired and sore.” He vaguely replied.

Sylvie nodded her head, realising that he wasn’t in much mood for talking. “I spoke to Charlotte’s mom earlier. She’s doing much better and her parents have significantly calmed down. They’re just thankful that it wasn’t any more serious than it was.”

“That’s good.” He bluntly replied again.

“… Jack.” Sylvie said seriously. “Look at me.” She said firmly as Jack finally raised his head and looked in Sylvie’s eyes – eyes that mirrored hers from the day he was born. “What happened out there?”

“Pretty obvious what happened mom—”

“No, it’s not. What caused you to crash the car?” she asked. She knew it didn’t just ‘happen’. His car went straight into a streetlight, that didn’t just ‘happen’.

“I lost control. I haven’t been driving that long—”

“There’s no point mom.” They heard at the door as they turned and saw Elliot standing there, looking entirely unimpressed. “He’s not going to listen and he’s not going to tell the truth.”

“What the hell is your problem Elliot?” Jack demanded to know.

“My _problem?_ My problem is that you’re a _jackass_ and you can’t see what you put us all through! What if you had have died? Mom is here trying to help you right now and you can’t even tell her the truth!”

“What happened to brothers always sticking by one another?” Jack asked. They’d made a pact as kids that they would always back one another through anything and everything.

“I’m not going to back you if you’re being a complete _dick_.” Elliot shot back.

“Look I get it, you’re disappointed, _whatever_ —”

“I’m not sure that you do get it Jack—” Sylvie protested.

“I made a mistake ok?!” Jack shouted as Sylvie and Elliot remained quiet and Matt and Annie appeared at the door. “Charlotte and I got in a fight and I was mad so I started driving too fast and I know that! Do you really want to crucify me for the rest of my life over it?!” he exclaimed as everyone remained silent.

Sylvie looked at Matt, entirely unsure what to do or say next. She felt powerless in her son’s anger. Matt walked into the room and reached behind Jack’s door, throwing him a jacket.

“Put your shoes on.” He said.

“I have to rest—”

“I said put your shoes on.” Matt repeated sternly. “I’ll meet you in the car.”

“Where the hell are we going?!” Jack demanded to know as Matt left the room, but he didn’t reply. Jack sighed and looked at the rest of his family, who took their turns to leave as well, leaving Jack alone.

* * *

Jack eventually made his way downstairs and outside to Matt’s car. He got in the passenger side and Matt drove them silently away from the house and through the streets of Chicago. Eventually, they pulled into a car wreckage lot and Jack started to piece things together.

“Dad, we don’t need to be here.” He said as he looked at his hands. He didn't need to see his wrecked car. He didn't need to see any of the wrecked cars here. He would place money on half of them being from accidents his parents had attended too. He would also place money on half of the people they saved not being as lucky as he was. But he didn't need this guilt trip - he felt guilty enough. 

“I think we do. Come on.” He said as they got out of the car.

Matt led Jack through the lot until they came to Jack’s wrecked car. They stood there in silence for a moment just looking at it before Matt could form the words to say.

“You know, for as long as I can remember, I had always wanted a family. My dad wasn’t the greatest guy around and some people assumed it would put me off in case I turned out like him – but it only made me want my own kids more. So that I could love them in a way that my dad didn’t know how. So I could prove that it wasn’t a father’s prerogative to always screw their kids up.” Matt recalled as Jack just stared at him. “I dreamt of a family. I dreamt of having kids and eventually grandkids and maybe even some great grandkids thrown in here…” he joked as Jack snorted. “I dreamt of _you_ Jack… and Elliot and Annie. I dreamt of you and mom dreamt of you and it took us a long time for those dreams to become a reality and – we could have lost you Jack. I know accidents happen, but you had the power to change the outcome of that drive. You had the power to control your anger and your speed… and I know you know that, and I know you feel guilty about that.” Matt said as he finally turned to look at his son who had tears in his eyes. It had been a long time since he’d seen Jack cry. “But you’re a _Casey._ You have strength and courage in your blood, and I know you’ll learn from this and be better from this. I also know that you’ll look at the people who love you most in this world and realise how much they care about you and want to help you.” He added, thinking about how he’d treated Sylvie and Elliot earlier. “You don’t get to screw with my dream.” He told him quietly, his own tears forming. “Not when you played the biggest part in forming it.”

“I’m – I’m so sorry dad” Jack said as the tears finally started to pour down his face.

Matt pulled him tightly into a hug as Jack began to cry against his shoulder.

* * *

When they got home, Jack immediately went to Sylvie and apologised, and they cried together for a few minutes. Sylvie made it clear to him that she was always there to support and guide him – no matter what he said or did. She would never leave his corner.

The one person that Jack was really struggling to face was Elliot. He was so mad at himself for hurting his brother in the way that he did. They’d been through a lot together in their short 17 years on this earth. They always backed each other, and he hated that gave his brother reason not to back him.

He slowly made his way up the stairs, wincing only slightly from the pain in his rib. He walked down the hallway and past Annie’s room first. He peaked in the door and saw that she was sitting at her desk writing in her diary. God knows what she was writing about him in there.

“Goodnight Annie” he merely said, not wanting to disturb her.

Annie turned her head and took her brother in. He seemed calmer, more at peace with what happened and more accepting that they were all just trying to help him. She smiled softly at him as her way of saying it was ok.

“Goodnight Jack. I love you”

“I love you too”

He closed over Annie’s door before walking to the end of the hallway. Elliot’s door was already open when he got there. Jack stood in the frame and watched his brother who was sitting on his bed with his headphones in.

“Hey” Jack greeted as Elliot looked up and took his headphones off.

“Hey” he replied.

“I uh – I owe you a pretty huge apology.” Jack began with a gulp. “I did something stupid and I expected you to back me up over it and that wasn’t right or fair. I’m sorry.”

Elliot nodded his head and looked in his lap, “I’m sorry too. I came at you pretty hard and that wasn’t fair either. I know there will be plenty of times where I make stupid mistakes and I wouldn’t appreciate it if my brother came at me like that.” He apologised too. He’d done his own momentary reflection while Jack was out with Matt. “Just – don’t be a dick again, ok?”

Jack snorted, “I’ll do my best.”

Elliot got off his bed and walked towards his brother, engulfing him in a hug, but being careful not to hurt his rib.

“I love you brother and I’ve got you – always.” Elliot made clear as Jack simply nodded his head, unsure how to find the words to tell his brother how much he loved him back.


	31. When Mom's Away...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ... the kids will play. Severide and Casey are on babysitting duty in this chapter. Enjoy!

**When Mom’s Away…**

Sylvie opened her eyes to the sun streaming through her bedroom window. She loved waking up from the natural light beaming through. Normally, she was woken up by one of her children screaming for her, but not today. It appeared they had decided to sleep in this particular Saturday. That, or Matt had gotten them up for some morning cartoons. She turned her head to check her suspicions. She smiled softly when she saw Matt laying on his stomach, fast asleep, his hands tucked under his pillow and his hair sticking out in all directions. He was so cute when he was asleep. They’d been on shift the day before, so she didn’t blame him for sleeping like the dead.

Sylvie looked at the clock and saw that it was 7am. She snuggled back under the duvet, realising that if the kids weren’t wake, she didn’t have to be either. She could definitely sneak in some extra sleep time before her little Caseys came barging in demanding breakfast.

She managed to enjoy the peaceful silence for a total of 7 minutes before—

_CRASH._

Sylvie’s eyes shot open and she whispered; “Oh no…” She jumped out of bed and grabbed her cardigan from the chair in the corner before picking up a discarded cushion from the floor and throwing it at Matt, causing him to jolt awake.

“Sylvie it’s a Saturday, come on—”

“There was a crash downstairs, come on, get up” she warned before she bolted downstairs to see what had been broken.

When she got downstairs, she found her kids staring from their kitchen island stools at the glass bowl that had dropped at their feet. Sylvie froze at the door her hands held out in front of her, saying a silent prayer that they didn’t decide to move and get glass in their feet.

Elliot was the first to spot Sylvie, his eyes widening at Sylvie’s own wide-eyed expression; “Don’t be mad!” he immediately said as Jack and Annie’s heads then shot around.

“We were making you and daddy breakfast but then we dropped the bowl and it kinda went everywhere…” a now 3-year-old Annie explained with a grimace.

Sylvie took a moment to finally take the scene in front of her in. The kitchen was a _mess_. Aside from the broken bowl and the food on the counter, there was food all over the island, the cupboard doors were lying open and the tap was running in an almost overflowing sink.

 _“… my kitchen.”_ Sylvie squeaked as Jack lifted a ketchup bottle and turned it upside down to add to the mixture of god knows what they were making. _“Jack Casey_. Don’t you _dare_ squeeze that ketchup bottle.” Sylvie warned as Jack immediately dropped the bottle into the bowl as Sylvie closed her eyes and scrunched her previously pointed finger into a fist. It warmed her heart that her kids thought to do something nice for her and Matt, but the warmth quickly disappeared when she realised it wasn’t exactly edible and she would end up being the one cleaning it.

“Wow…” she heard behind her as she turned to look at Matt, whose lips had formed an o shape at the mess in front of them. “What’s uh – what’s going on?”

“They made us breakfast.” Sylvie said through her teeth as Matt nodded his head, realising that he maybe needed to take charge of this particular situation before Sylvie burst a blood vessel. There were only a few things in this world that Sylvie truly adored: Her husband, her children, her family at 51… and her beautiful townhouse that she and Matt poured their blood, sweat and tears in to making the perfect family home. Seeing it in such a state sent her blood pressure through the _roof._

“You want to try some daddy?” Annie asked happily as she dipped her finger into the concoction and held it up.

“I’m not really hungry right now honey, but how about we get you away from this broken glass…” he said as he carefully stepped around the island and lifted Annie out of harms way, while Elliot and Jack climbed over the kitchen island and jumped down the other side, causing Sylvie’s blood pressure to rise just that little bit more.

“The island isn’t a jungle gym boys.” Matt warned as they sheepishly apologised.

“We just wanted to do something nice for you guys…” Elliot explained. It was rare that he moved his mother to complete silence.

Sylvie sighed. She wasn’t mad at them – I mean, she was a _little_ , but she knew they didn’t do this out of badness.

“It’s ok baby, just next time you want to cook, ask us for help.” Sylvie instructed as they nodded their heads.

Annie looked at her little finger that was still covered in the goo before turning it round to show her dad as he held her, “You sure you don’t want some?”

Matt smirked, “I’m good and I don’t think you want to eat that either…” he said as he grabbed a nearby tea towel and wiped her hands.

“Ok, you three go and get changed out of your messy pyjamas and dad and I will get this tidied up…” Sylvie said as she surveyed the mess, wondering where to even start.

Matt set Annie down on the ground and she darted up the stairs with her brothers quickly following behind. Matt walked over to Sylvie and looked at the mess with her.

“It’s a good thing they’re cute.” Matt joked as Sylvie let out a laugh.

“Oh yeah… I don’t know where to start.” She said with a sigh.

“You need a girl’s night.” Matt said with certainty. Sylvie looked at him before she started to laugh. Matt frowned, “What’s so funny about that?”

Sylvie shook her head and smirked; “Nothing, it’s just – we’ve had date nights and group outings to Molly’s but… it’s been a long time since I’ve had a _girl’s_ night.”

“Babe if Severide and I can have hockey night, then you can have a girl’s night.” Matt told her. He and Severide had a hockey night every couple of weeks and Matt felt a little guilty that it was only hitting him now that Sylvie should have the same.

“I don’t know…” she said hesitantly.

“No, there’s no 'I don’t knows' about it, call Foster and Kidd – you’re going out tonight.” He determined as he quickly kissed her cheek before turning to clean up the mess in front of him.

* * *

That evening, Matt came downstairs to find Sylvie clearing up the kids’ dinner plates. He paused at the door when he realised she was doing so while all dressed up for her night out. She looked amazing, as always.

As she walked over to the sink to rinse the dishes, Matt came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his cheek just behind her ear.

“You look _amazing_ ” he whispered quietly as he ran his hand over her abdomen.

Sylvie smiled, “Thank you handsome. Don’t worry – you’re going to reap the benefits later of what I have on underneath…” she teased.

Matt froze and gulped; “Are you uh – are you sure you have to go out tonight? It could be postponed, right?”

Sylvie giggled and turned to look at him; “ _Nope_. I’m going. Chief’s orders” she said with a taunting wink before slipping away from his grasp and walking over to the kids. “What are your big plans for this evening?” she asked them as she ran her hand over Annie’s little blonde braids.

“Dad said Uncle Severide is coming over” Elliot said as Jack and Annie smiled widely. They _loved_ their Uncle Severide. He was the fun uncle who jacked them up on sugar and then sent them back to Matt and Sylvie to deal with the come down.

Sylvie looked at Matt and quirked an eyebrow, “Is he now?” she asked him. Matt _conveniently_ left that little detail out. She didn’t mind Severide coming over, she just knew chaos was liking to ensue.

“Strength in numbers” Matt reasoned as the kids rapidly nodded their heads.

“Hey Caseys!” the heard from the front door as it open and shut.

“Hi Uncle Sev!” the kids shouted back as they left the dinner table and ran to greet him as he walked into the kitchen. They all quickly hugged him as Sylvie put her coat on and lifted her purse.

“Your chariot awaits” Severide joked as he stepped aside for Sylvie to go and meet Stella in the car.

“Why thank you…” she said with a playful eyeroll. She turned to Matt; “Please leave my house in one piece and if you want to play hockey – take it outside.” She said as she quickly kissed his smirking lips. She felt the warning was necessary, not that long-ago Jack and Elliot got their hockey sticks out in the living room and broke one of her favourite vases.

“Yes ma’am…” Matt mocked as Sylvie lightly shoved him.

“Ok little Caseys, have a good night, I love you all” Sylvie said as she quickly stole a kiss from each of them.

“Bye mommy, we miss you already!” Annie said sweetly as Sylvie giggled.

“Bye girly” she said with a wink before disappearing from the house.

Severide looked at Matt with a smirk; “Let the games begin.”

* * *

“Ok. Here are the ground rules. Little Caseys vs. Officers. We play a _clean_ game. That means _no_ shoulder barging. The stick should not be raised above the knees and if you break anything… we’ll hide it from mom and nobody rats anybody out… is that understood?” Matt guiltily explained.

“Copy that Chief!” Annie replied as she proudly held her little hockey stick by her side.

Matt had every intention of taking their hockey game outside, he really did, but then it started to rain and the kids just looked so disappointed that they couldn’t have their little Caseys vs officers game and when Annie started pouting he was _sunk_. They had officially moved into their renovated townhouse after years of work and they had a huge landing on the second floor – he figured the space was big enough to not cause _too_ much damage, and he’d removed the most breakable objects so they weren’t smashed in the process.

“You guys are going down.” Severide said seriously.

Matt elbowed him and frowned as Severide quirked his eyebrows at him; “You think I’m going to go easy on them cause they’re kids?”

“No, I think you’re going to go easy on them cause they’re _my_ kids and I’m telling you to—”

“You don’t need to go easy on us, _don’t worry_.” Jack assured them as Elliot smirked beside him. They were nimble kids, they could easily sneak past Casey and Severide. Plus they were banking on Annie’s cuteness to distract them when necessary.

“Ok then” Matt said with a snort. “Game on.”

* * *

They managed to play the game for a solid 20 minutes before anything was broken. Casey had conveniently forgotten about the photographs that sat on the shelves by the wall. Jack flicked the puck in an attempt to shoot it over Matt’s shoulder and it hit a wedding photo straight on, smashing the glass that covered it.

“Your house is _littered_ with photographs, Brett won’t notice this particular one is missing.” Severide reasoned.

“Oh. She’ll notice…” Elliot informed him. Sylvie knew every nook and cranny of this house, of course it wouldn’t slip by her that the photo wasn’t on the shelf.

Annie stood on her tip toes and peered at the photo in Matt’s hand. “You look very handsome in your suit daddy”

Matt chuckled; “Thank you baby… ok, I think we should probably call it a day on this one.” He said as the kids – and Severide – all groaned. “You’re a man child.” Matt told Severide.

Severide held his hands up in defence; “I’m just having some fun with my favourite kids.”

“What now dad?” Jack asked as they all looked up at him with eager eyes. Normally, they would happily entertain themselves, but since Matt let them play hockey upstairs and Severide was here, they could only assume they had some more fun filled activities up their sleeves.

Matt contemplated what they could do. It would be easy to just sit them down in front of a movie, but he figured they might not take to that since they appeared to be full of energy. Suddenly, he was struck with an idea. A potentially horrible idea, but what was the worst that could happen?

“Let’s bake” he said with a hopeful smile.

Elliot grimaced; “I don’t know dad, that didn’t go down so well this morning…”

“What happened this morning?” Severide asked with a chuckle.

“It only went down badly because you tried to make us breakfast without asking for help and you made a complete mess of the kitchen.” Matt reminded them as they sheepishly smiled as their cute way to avoid any more reprimanding. “But now that Severide and I are here, we can supervise and not make a mess! Mommy loved that you were thoughtful enough to cook for her, so why not do it right this time? What could go wrong?”

* * *

 _Plenty_ could go wrong. Matt was a decent cook, but it turned out baking was a whole other sport. Not to mention Severide was determined to mess around with the kids the whole time. He kept feeding them spoonfuls of sugar and swinging them around the kitchen, once again causing food and dishes to fly everywhere. Matt began to feel the palpitations Sylvie had felt this morning about the whole thing. It took him an hour and a half to get the kitchen spotless this morning – he didn’t have the energy to do it again. They did, however, manage to make the cake – and it didn’t taste half bad.

While Severide got the kids set up in front of the TV in the hopes that it would send them to sleep, Matt began to clean the mess that was in front of him. He managed to clean one surface area before he slid down onto the floor, his back against the fridge and closed his eyes. _What a night._

* * *

Sylvie walked through the front door as quietly as she could. She expected her family to be in bed by now, it was pretty late (though definitely not as late as the hours she used to keep). She was surprised to find that the lights were still on in the playroom and the kitchen, so she went to investigate. When she got there, she found Severide and the kids fast asleep on the couch, all lumped on top of each other. It appeared they had drifted off during a Toy Story marathon. Sylvie turned off the TV and walked into the kitchen, where she found Matt asleep against the fridge. Her eyes widened momentarily as she wondered what the hell had happened tonight…

She smiled softly, kicked off her shoes and slid down beside him just as he started to stir from the shuffling.

“Hey sleepy” she greeted as she wrapped her arms around one of his and pulled her knees up as his arm wrapped around them.

“We baked you a cake” Matt grumbled as Sylvie looked up onto the island and smiled. “It actually tastes ok.”

Sylvie giggled, “It looks good, I’m impressed.”

“I’m sorry about the mess- again.” He apologised with a sigh as he flopped his head back against the fridge door.

“It’s ok. You’ve always said how important it is to make memories. The mess those memories cause can be cleaned up.” She assured him quietly.

“Did you have a good night with Foster and Kidd?”

Sylvie nodded her head; “Yeah, it was fun. There was one thing that kind of bothered me though.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah… it got to the end of the night and I didn’t have anyone to go home with…” she teased.

Matt smirked and turned his head to look at her; “Well you’re home now.”

Sylvie smiled back at him; “Yeah. I am.”

Sylvie held onto Matt’s arm a little tighter and rested her head on his shoulder. He bent down and kissed her head before resting his own against hers. Memories were messy – but the mess was entirely worthwhile.


	32. The Life's Too Short Column

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt and Annie aren't getting along so well in this chapter... enjoy!

**The Life’s Too Short Column**

_“Annie!”_ Matt called from the end of the usptairs hallway. It was a Friday morning and Matt was getting impatient. He and Sylvie were due in work in half an hour and they had to get Annie up and out the door for school first, but she seemed hell bent on ignoring his wake-up calls. _“Annie!”_ he called again a little louder and with a little more frustration evident in his voice. He sighed when he didn’t hear any movement from her room.

He barged down the hallway and opened her door to find her curled up in her bed. “Annie, how many times are you going to make me call for you?”

“Go way…” she grumbled as she pulled her pillow over her head.

“Annie, I’m serious, get up. _Now_.” He warned.

Annie rolled over and glared at him; “Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning…”

“Could say the same for you.” he snarked back. “I want you up and dressed and downstairs in 15 minutes.”

“Dad, come on, that’s not enough time!” she moaned. _Typical teenager_ – Matt thought.

“That’s not my fault Annie, I tried to wake you up half an hour ago and you didn’t listen. _Move_.” He said one final time before closing the door.

He grumpily made his way downstairs and into the kitchen were Sylvie was standing with a coffee.

He sighed, “What happened to my sweet little Annie who woke up and was immediately a ball of sunshine?” he asked as Sylvie chuckled.

“She’s a teenager Matt, she’s going to be grumpy sometimes. She’s had a long week at school with tests and athletics, you know she’s not normally like this. She normally _is_ a ball of sunshine.” Sylvie was quick to remind him. Annie really was just like Sylvie, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t prone to a mood swing every now and again. “What’s got you so worked up anyway?”

“I have a lot of paperwork sitting on my desk at 51” he mumbled as Sylvie nodded her head. “So I don’t appreciate Annie making us late. I’m supposed to be the Chief, it’s not a good look.”

Sylvie realised that this was probably a situation not to get in the middle of. Matt would calm down and Annie would do, especially now that the weekend was fast approaching. Soon enough, Annie came downstairs, dressed and ready to go.

“See what the pressure of time can do for people?” Matt said as he looked at his watch seeing that she had in fact got dressed in 15 minutes.

“Who shoved a haligan up your _ass_ this morning?” Annie grumbled so only Sylvie could hear. She sent her daughter a warning look before setting her coffee mug down.

“Don’t forget, CFD annual picnic tomorrow.” Sylvie told her husband and daughter.

“We expect to see you there Annie, front and centre, no excuses.” Matt warned. He knew his daughter would find some sort of reason to not go, but it was something they had always gone too as a family. Even at 20 years old Elliot and Jack loved it. They thought it really showcased what being a firefighter was about. It was about community and family. 

“Dad would you _stop_!” Annie snapped as Sylvie and Matt looked at her with wide eyes. “Shouting down the hallway at me, timing me getting ready, telling me I have to be somewhere front and centre? I’m not one your firefighters, so stop treating me like one!”

“ _Annie_.” Sylvie warned through her teeth. She had completely overreacted to Matt’s action this morning, he was just being, well, _him._

“I’m serious, just lighten up!” Annie continued.

“That’s _enough.”_ Sylvie said, silencing her as Matt clenched his jaw and remained silent too. “School, _now.”_ She finished as Annie lifted her bag.

“Let me get my keys—” Matt began, but Annie stormed past him.

“I’ll walk.” She replied before walking out the front door and slamming it behind her.

“Yeah… like sunshine.” Matt said as Sylvie gave him a sympathetic smile. She had a feeling this situation was only going to get worse.

* * *

Annie’s mood didn’t shift for the rest of the day. She put on her best smile for her friends, but they could tell that she was a little moody today. She walked into the gym that afternoon for class with her arms folded across her chest.

“Hey girl” her best friend Jessica greeted. “How’s that mood?”

“Gloomy” she mumbled in response. Jessica was about to ask her what happened to put her in such a mood when Olivia and Maggie walked over.

“Hey Annie! You coming out with us tomorrow? We were thinking of heading to the mall then out with some guys we met last weekend. They found this really cool hang out spot that is a little shady when it comes to checking ID.” Maggie said with a smirk.

Annie frowned. She may have been in a bad mood that resulted in her fighting her parents, but she knew her boundaries with them and going to some lame bar would definitely tip things over the edge. She wouldn’t be allowed out for the rest of the _year_ if she did anything of the sort. Besides, it was the CFD picnic tomorrow and despite what her parents might think, she had every intention of going. She loved the picnic, it was always a lot of fun.

“I can’t, sorry.” Annie replied bluntly.

“Where you heading?” Jessica asked curiously.

“The Chicago Fire Department have this annual picnic at the Greenville Park. We go every year, it’s important to my parents.”

“Oh cool, do they work for the department?” Maggie asked.

Annie nodded proudly; “My dad’s a Battalion chief and my mom’s a paramedic. I was actually born in a firehouse too.”

 _"Wow"_ Maggie said with a little laugh. "Sounds like quite the story."

“Hm, Chief Casey. He can rescue me _any_ time” Olivia said as she wiggled her eyebrows and smirked.

 _“Olivia!”_ Annie scolded as she swatted her friend. “ _God,_ that’s my _dad_ …” she said as she scrunched up her face.

“Hot dad crush, we _all_ have one.” Olivia reasoned.

“Well yours doesn’t have to be _mine_ …” Annie said. She stopped suddenly and furrowed her brows in typical Casey fashion. Something was off in the gym. “Does anybody smell that?” she asked as she took in a few large sniffs.

“Smell what?” Jessica asked as they all looked around them, clearly not smelling what Annie was smelling.

“It smells like gas…” she said as she walked out of the gym and into the hallway. She looked all around her, trying to see if she could find some sort of source of the smell, but she was having no luck. She ran back through the gym, all of her friends eyeing her curiously. Something just wasn’t right, she had to find out what. She ran to the back doors of the gym and pushed them open, immediately hearing some hissing. She looked down and saw a pipe that was running along the wall had cracked open, leaking gas into the hallway.

“Crap…” she grumbled before looking up and spotting some of the stoner kids in the corner. She watched as one of them put a joint in his mouth and then reached for a lighter and her eyes widened.

“Don’t light that!” she screamed, but it was too late – the flame caught hold of the gas and a ball of fire exploded and hit the ceiling, causing it to cave in around the hallway. Before long, the structure of the ceiling continued to crack and it rippled through into the main hall as more and more rubble crashed all around them.

* * *

Matt couldn’t concentrate. He’d been trying to fill out this paperwork all morning and afternoon, but he just couldn’t. He couldn’t get his mind off his fight with Annie and it was driving him crazy. He hated it when his children were mad at him. Any disagreement they had normally fell into the life’s too short column, but he didn’t get the chance to make amends with Annie before they stormed off.

Suddenly, the bells went off, snapping him out of his funk.

_Truck 81. Engine 51. Squad 3. Ambulance 61. Structural fire and collapse, Northside High School._

Matt’s heart began pounding in his chest – that was Annie’s school.

* * *

Matt couldn’t remember the last time he felt so scared. He had no idea where Annie was or whether she was anywhere near the school. He had Sylvie had tried calling her multiple times on the way to the site, but she didn’t pick up. He knew he was shouting out instructions, but even his own words were a blur to him. This was why those stupid fights fell into the life’s too short column – because life could be too short. This seemed like some kind of sick joke.

When they got to the scene, Matt had jumped out of the truck and Sylvie out of the ambulance before they had even come to a stop. They surveyed the damage in front of them and saw that the gymnasium had collapsed in on itself.

“Chief Casey!” he heard someone shout as he turned and saw the assistant principal walk towards them.

“What happened?” he demanded to know.

“I’m not sure, but Jessica and Olivia, they made it out of the gym, they seem to know a few things about what happened.” The principal explained as Matt looked quickly around for his daughter’s friends.

They spotted him before he did and rushed over to him.

“Girls, what happened?” he demanded to know, seeing that they were covered in dust from the roof. They didn’t appear to be injured, but they looked pretty shaken from the whole thing. Sylvie soon rushed over too and began checking them out.

“We don’t really know, we were all just talking and then Annie said she smelt something funny and she was running around the place like crazy!” Olivia began.

“Then she shouted at someone 'don't light that', whatever 'that' is I don’t know, and then there was this bang and the roof just came down on us.” Jessica finished.

Matt nodded his head; “Where is Annie?” he asked as calmly as he could. Before he did anything he needed to know his daughter was safe.

“I don’t know.” Olivia said quietly. “She’s probably still inside.” She replied with an honest gulp.

Sylvie tried to control her emotions but was failing. She looked at Matt who also looked like he had tears in his eyes.

“I’m going in.” Matt said with certainty as he secured his helmet and began walking forward.

“Casey! It’s not safe in there!” Hermann shouted. They hadn’t assessed the damage, he could be walking into a mine field, one wrong move and more could collapse around them.

“I don’t care! My daughter is in there!” he said as Hermann gulped, realising that Casey was going to do whatever he had to do to get Annie out of there. “Get that fire out and get a search team started now!” he commanded.

“I’m coming with you” Severide said as he rushed up behind Casey.

“Matt!” Sylvie called as Matt briefly turned back to look at his wife. “Get our girl home to us.” She said deeply as Matt nodded. He wasn’t going to settle for anything less than having his daughter securely in his arms again.

Matt and Severide put their masks on and charged into the building. It was dusty and dark and they could barely see a thing.

“Fire department, call out!” Severide shouted, with no response.

“Annie! Annie! Call out!” Matt shouted.

Severide heard some coughing from the left hand side of the building and rushed over to see who was there, while Matt charged forward.

“Annie!” he called as he climbed over some rubble. Suddenly, he heard some quiet coughing from somewhere in front of him. He looked desperately around him and soon enough, he spotted a blonde ponytail on the ground. _“Annie!”_ he called again as he moved towards the girl. Her head slowly came up and Matt met his daughter’s bright blue eyes and the relief spread through his.

“Dad?” she said groggily.

Matt made it to her and bent down beside her, helping her to sit up. Immediately he could see she had some cuts and bruises.

“Are you ok?” he asked desperately as he held her shoulders and inspected her.

“The guy with the lighter—” Annie began, not really caring about herself in this moment.

“We’ll find him, let’s get you out of here first.”

Annie shook her head and looked all around her; “No, no, there are so many students in here, I’m fine, get to them— _ow._ ” She said as she grabbed her arm. Matt looked down and saw that it was completely red and inflamed, suggesting she had a fracture.

“Annie you have an arm fracture, you need to get out of here, come on.” Matt said. He wasn’t taking no for an answer this time and essentially dragged her out of the building before she could protest further.

Once they made it outside, Sylvie was on them like a hawk.

 _“Annie!”_ she called with relief as she ran towards her daughter.

 _“Mom!_ ” Annie shouted back, tears forming in her eyes. She didn’t realise how emotional she was until she saw her mom running towards her.

They swiftly embraced each other as Matt took in the moment of relief, before turning and going back into the building to help with the relief efforts. Annie was in safe hands now and he still had a job to do.

“Oh my baby, are you ok?” Sylvie asked as she took a step back and inspected her daughter.

“I think I broke my arm.” Annie said quietly. “Dad said—” she began as she turned around, assuming her dad would still be behind her, but he wasn’t. “Where’s dad?”

“He’s just doing his job sweetie, he’ll be fine, let’s get you to med.” Sylvie said as she pulled a worried Annie towards the ambulance. Everything was moving so fast, she barely had any time to process what was going on, but she did have time to think about the fact that her dad just ran into that building for her.

* * *

Night-time fell before 51 made it back to the station. The only kid that has passed away from the accident was the one with the lighter. It was immensely sad, but considering the damage of the building, it was a miracle that it wasn’t more. There were some serious injuries, but as far as they were all aware, everyone would pull through.

Matt hadn’t seen Annie since he handed her over to Sylvie that afternoon. While he knew she was ok and she’d had her arm plastered and that was that, he was still worried about her. He could only imagine the emotional impact of this day for her.

Suddenly, there was a light knock on his door and the handle turned. Matt’s face fell in surprise when Annie appeared on the other side. He half expected her to have collapsed as soon as Sylvie brought her home, but apparently not.

“Hey” she said quietly as she stood sheepishly at the door, her plastered arm in a sling and a CFD zip-up hoodie around her shoulders.

“Hey… you ok?” he asked, knowing that it probably sounded liked a stupid question, but it was a starting point.

“Yeah, you got a second?” she asked.

“For you? Always.” He replied with a little smile that she returned. She closed the door behind her as she sat on the couch in the corner, and Matt sat on the coffee table in front of it.

“It’s been a really insane day.” She told him quietly.

Matt nodded, “Yeah. It has. How are your friends?”

“They’re ok. Shaken up, especially about that student who died… I mean we weren’t friends but it still doesn’t hurt any less, you know? I can’t help but wonder if I’d smelt the gas sooner, this wouldn’t have happened.”  
  
Matt shook his head; “You can spend your life on what ifs but it won’t do you any good. The fact that you even realised something was wrong when you did is amazing Annie.”

Annie merely nodded her head. She’d probably have some guilt about this for a while, but hearing her dad say that did help.

“You know… I always knew what you guys did was dangerous – but it only really hit me today just _how_ dangerous it is. You could have died today because you ran into that building when it wasn't stable to look for me.” She said, beginning to talk about the real reason she had Sylvie drive her here.

“Annie, I will always run into a burning building for you. You’re my daughter—”

“I know and I think _a lot_ of parents would too… but not many people can say they would do that for _others._ For _strangers._ It’s remarkable.” She told him in a sense of wonder. “I know the boys and I joke about you getting all _chiefy_ with us sometimes at home but – I’m really thankful that you are who you are. I couldn’t ask for a better father and everybody else’s daughters are really lucky to have you looking after this city too.”

Matt gulped at his daughter’s confession. It appeared the sweet Annie Casey had returned. He moved to sit beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and allowing her head to rest on his.

“I’m really sorry dad.” Annie apologised as the tears started to roll down her cheeks. “I think that fight falls into the life’s too short column.” She said as Matt chuckled. Great minds think alike apparently.

“I’m sorry too.” He apologised. “We never know what the next day will bring in life, whether it’s on a job like this or even when you go into school. So let’s not live with regrets about the last thing we say to one another.”

Annie nodded her head and snuggled closer against her dad before whispering; “I love you. Very much.”

Matt smiled against her head, “I love you too.”


	33. Fight Club

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brett and Casey try to deal with a deeply personal issue in this chapter that affects their boys... I hope you enjoy!

**Fight Club**

It was a Thursday afternoon and Firehouse 51 had been uncharacteristically slow and quiet today. Of course nobody said that out loud for fear of jinxing it. But even the crew at the firehouse were being quiet. Casey and Severide were doing paperwork, Ritter and Gallo were playing a card game, Stella was going through some Girls on Fire stuff (it had really taken off since she started the programme over ten years ago). For Sylvie, the quiet afternoon gave her the opportunity to really tidy up the ambo. Of course it was always kept in a good and workable condition, but every now and again it needed a real spring clean.

She was half way through her tidy when her phone buzzed in her pocket. She lifted it out and frowned when _Windgrove Elementary School_ appeared at the caller I.D. A phone call from her children's school was never a good sign.

“Hello?” she said down the line.

“Hello, is that Mrs Casey?”

“Yes, this is she.” Sylvie replied. Even after 11 years of marriage, hearing someone call her Mrs Casey sent a little flutter through her chest. She never expected to love hearing her husband's name attached onto hers as much as she did. She rarely heard it since she was so used to being called Brett at work and Sylvie or mom by her family. Sylvie Casey or Mrs Casey was reserved for more proper occasions - like the doctors or, in this case, her children's school.

“This is Mrs Mulaney calling from Windgrove Elementary School. Your son has been brought into the principal's office today following a fight in the playground and Mrs Moore would like to speak with you this afternoon if you would be available to come down to the school?" she requested politely and almost robotically.

Sylvie sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. So much for a quiet day all round. “Yes, we can be there in about 20 minutes.” she said before they said their goodbyes and hung up the phone, just as Mackey came out with some boxes of supplies to help restock and tidy. She'd heard Sylvie's sigh as she hung up the phone and her concern grew.

“You ok partner?” Mackey asked with a frown.

“Jack got in a fight at school, we have to go see the principal.”

Mackey frowned, “Oh man. That doesn’t sound like him.”

“It doesn’t sound like _Elliot,_ but Jack’s temper can flare up sometimes… I’m going to go get Casey. He'll probably take ambo out of service until a floater gets here, you ok to hold down the fort when they do?"

“No problem, take whatever time you need.” Mackey assured her as Sylvie nodded gratefully before scurrying inside to find Matt. 

She rushed round to his office and saw him standing by his desk, reading through some incident reports. She knocked on his open door before lightly leaning on the doorframe, sending a regretful smile in his direction when he looked up at her. 

“Hey, we gotta go, Jack got in a fight at school.” she told him.

Matt frowned, “About what?” he asked. He knew Jack had a temper, but he couldn’t imagine him _punching_ a kid. Whatever was said must have really pushed Jack’s buttons.

Sylvie shrugged, “They didn’t say, but they want to talk to us.”

“Ok, just give me 5 minutes, I'll call in some floaters. Meet you at the car?”

“Yeah, meet you there” Sylvie said as she grabbed Matt's keys from his coat by the door and made her way outside. 

* * *

As promised, Matt and Sylvie arrived at the school 20 minutes later. There had been some kids outside playing when they arrived, so they received plenty of strange looks as they walked up the front steps. Admittedly, there was something a little unsettling about a paramedic and a firefighter walking into a school in the middle of the day.

"Mommy! Daddy!" they heard a little voice shout from the gate as the stopped and turned around to see Annie waving excitedly at them. 

"Hi honey" Sylvie replied as they both waved at their daughter.

Annie's face fell when she realised her parents didn't look happy. "Oh no... am I in trouble?" she asked with wide eyes.

"No sweetie, you're not in trouble. We'll see you later ok?" Matt told her with a bright, reassuring smile. Annie nodded sceptically. Why were her parents here if it wasn't for something bad? It then clicked with her that her brothers were also in the building.

"Oh... so Jack is in trouble. I see." Annie assumed. "See you later!" she called before running back to her friends. Matt and Sylvie smiled after her - at least one of their children was having a good day at school.

They started to head into the building again and didn't get very far up the corridor when they ran into Jack's teacher Miss Green.

“Mr and Mrs Casey, hi.” she greeted cheerily.

“Miss Green. We are so sorry for Jack’s behaviour today.” Sylvie immediately apologised.

Miss Green frowned, “His behaviour? Jack’s been as pleasant as always today. I don’t think that’s anything to apologise for” she said with a little confused laugh.

Sylvie and Matt then gave _each other_ a confused look, “We got a call saying he’d gotten in a fight today.”

Miss Green shook her head; “I don’t think so. He and his friends were playing football at lunch time, there were no issues.” She assured them. “I should get back to class, I hope you get this issue sorted, but I promise you, Jack wasn’t fighting with anyone.”

Miss Green walked on as Matt and Sylvie looked at each other as they started to piece together what was happening.

“Mrs Mulaney did say our _son_ had gotten into a fight. She just didn’t specify which one...” Sylvie confessed. Her mind had immediately jumped to Jack. She didn’t even contemplate that it could have been Elliot, there was just no way.

“Must have been something _really_ bad if it set Elliot off.” Matt thought out loud. He was normally so level-headed, this situation just felt _bizarre._

Sylvie crossed her arms and clicked her tongue against her teeth. "It’s kind of bad that we assumed it was Jack, right?” This definitely wasn’t a proud moment for them in the parenting department.

“No one here is claiming to be a perfect parent.” He said humorously as Sylvie smiled and pushed him towards the office. “And I didn’t _assume_ anything, I was _told_ it was Jack…” he teased. He wasn't about to be dragged down by her assumptions!

“Oh stop it, you would have thought Jack too, don’t even pretend otherwise.” She said she rightfully jested.

Matt held his hands up and smirked; “Like I said, no one is claiming to be the perfect parent.” He said as Sylvie playfully rolled her eyes. They rounded the corner and froze when they saw Elliot sitting outside the office, looking sad, but also angry. His eyes were watery but his jaw was tight - what the _hell_ had happened today?

Sylvie immediately felt her heart break for him. She knew she should probably be mad that he was fighting, but she just _couldn’t_ be mad at him. Not when he looked so upset. And it was entirely in character for her to assume the best before she heard otherwise. Though she couldn't imagine any reasonable excuse for Elliot to be hitting someone.

Matt and Sylvie walked towards him slowly. Elliot soon looked up and saw them, gulping immediately, fearing that his parents were going to be really upset. But instead of losing their cool, they shot him sympathetic and calm glances. There was a motto in the Casey house that a calm head always led to the best outcomes.

Matt ran his hand over Elliot’s fair hair as he looked up at his dad; “Are you ok?” Matt asked first. Making sure that Elliot was ok was his priority from the moment he'd heard about the fight.

Elliot nodded his head and looked back down at his hands. He was clearly ashamed about what happened and wasn't in much of a mood to discuss it.

“Honey, what happened?” Sylvie asked quietly as she bent down beside him.

“Nothing.” Elliot replied bluntly.

“Elliot – we can’t help you unless you tell us what happened.” Matt reasoned as he sat in the chair beside him. “Where is the boy you were fighting with? Didn’t he get in trouble too?”

Elliot shook his head; “No. I hit him first.”

“Why?” Sylvie asked quietly as she rested her hand on top of his to stop him from fiddling with his thumbs and look at her. Elliot looked up with tears in his eyes.

“He said that my grandma killed my grandpa.”

* * *

“Mr and Mrs Casey, I understand that you are angry but the issue at hand here is that Elliot punched a fellow classmate—”

“The issue at hand?” Matt said back, his voice raised as he and Sylvie stood in front of the principal, Mrs Moore. “The issue at hand is that you’re allowing your kids to gossip about something incredibly personal! He used that information to provoke Elliot, that's a big deal.”

“I cannot control what these children say. It’s the responsibility of the parents to be cautious about what they let their children overhear—”

“But it’s up to _you_ how you respond to it.” Sylvie snapped back. “You aren’t even punishing the other child for using something so _personal_ to attack Elliot. Our son is terrified now! He has no idea why that kid would say something like that. We should have been able to tell Elliot about his grandparents when we felt he was ready to hear it. When we felt he could understand. He shouldn't have heard it this way.” Sylvie felt the panic rise in her a little. Maybe they should have told Jack and Elliot about this sooner - but how was she to know that a child would gossip about it in school? How was she to know that this kids parents - where they no doubt got the information from in the first place - would so careless talk about something like this? It all just felt so horrible and she wanted nothing more than for this conversation to be over so she could go and hug her son.

“I am very sorry that this has happened.” Mrs Moore conceded. “I cannot look past the fact that Elliot thought the appropriate response was to throw a punch, but I will look into some disciplinary action against the other boy.” She replied diplomatically. She didn’t need another angry parent coming in here accusing here of not doing her job by not punishing Elliot.

“We understand that Elliot did something wrong.” Matt said as calmly as he could. “But the fact that he is the only one sitting out there isn't right. Getting physical with someone isn't the only damaging thing a kid can do. Words matter."

“I understand. There’s only an hour left of school, take Elliot and Jack and Annie home and take whatever time you need to talk your children through this. I can only imagine how difficult it is for you to have this brought up in such a scary way.” she sympathised. It was clear she was trying to remain as professional and uninvolved as possible - and she probably wanted this moment to be over just as much as Matt and Sylvie did. They understood that she had to tread carefully when dealing with this problem, but it didn't make them any less angry. Something so scary and hurtful had been blasted in front of their 9-year-old and now they had to try and find a way to do some damage control. How could they possibly begin to calmly explain that what he was hearing was true?

They soon got Jack, Elliot and Annie out of class, much to Jack and Annie's joy, and got them into the car. As Matt closed the back door, Sylvie looped her hand around his arm.

"Are you ok?” she asked quietly. They’d spent so much time on Elliot, but Sylvie was aware from the moment Elliot told them what the fight was about, that this must have been incredibly difficult for her husband. His parents were not a common topic of conversation between them, especially what his mother did. Matt figured there wasn’t really much more he could say about the matter that Sylvie didn’t already know.

“I’m mad.” He admitted. “I just can’t fathom that responsible parents would talk about this in front of their kids.” He said, knowing that gossip hungry parents were to blame for this. “It’s wrong and it’s just _crap_ and there’s _nothing_ we can do about that.”

Sylvie shook her head; “No, there isn’t. But they’re not our priority. Our kids are. They’re going to trust us with this more than they trust some kid.”

Matt nodded his head and quickly kissed Sylvie’s head before they got into the car and drove home. They’d decided to bring in a cover chief and paramedic for the rest of their shift. They felt it was necessary to just spend some time with their family right now.

* * *

After they got home and settled, they let the kids play for a little bit, just to settle their nerves about being brought home from school early. Matt watched them from the door frame as they joyfully interacted with each other. He felt Sylvie wrap her arms around one of his and rest her cheek against his arm.

“How do you want to do this?”

Matt looked at his feet; “I don’t know if I can tell them.”

“I don’t think we should tell Annie, but we have to tell the boys. They’re 9 years old, they’re old enough to know when their parents are lying to them. They’re smart kids, they can handle it.” Sylvie reasoned as they moved away from the door.

“I’m not sure that Jack will understand.” Matt confessed.

“I think you’re underestimating him honey. Yes, he can be hot-headed and he doesn’t think as carefully as Elliot does but he’s _just_ as smart. He’s sensitive, he’s empathetic – they’ll both be fine. Don’t you think it’s better that they hear the right version of events from you rather than from some random kids who don’t know what they’re talking about?”

Matt nodded his head realising that Sylvie was right, and he was so thankful that he had her to steer him in the right direction. He couldn’t just leave this issue and pretend that it hadn’t happened. They deserved to know the truth – and there was no time like the present. He let out a breath and walked into the living room.

“Boys come here a second” he said as Elliot and Jack jumped up on the sofa and Matt sat on the coffee table in front of them.

“Jack, you’ve probably already know that some kids were saying some not very nice things to Elliot today about your grandparents.” Matt began, wanting to make sure Jack knew exactly what he was talking about.

Jack nodded his head; “I know, they’ve been saying it to me too.”

Matt frowned as his eyes flashed with sadness; “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I figured they were just kidding. Kids make up all sorts of stuff these days…” he said with a shrug.

“Jack would know…” Annie mumbled, not looking up from her colouring in.

Jack pouted as Matt and Sylvie held in a laugh. Annie could be pretty sassy when she wanted to be, but her bright blue eyes and blonde curls never gave her away to anyone who didn't know better.

“Ok missy, let’s go start dinner” Sylvie instructed, knowing that this was probably best done with Annie interrupting.

After Annie and Sylvie had left, Matt turned back to the boys and took a breath, ready to tell them the truth. It was clear that Jack hadn’t taken it as seriously as Elliot had. It made Matt wonder why Elliot assumed it could be true, but Jack didn’t. However, that wasn’t what mattered right now. Making sure they were ok was the priority.

“First thing I want to say is that your nana and Gramps are fine. They’re in Fowlerton and nobody is hurt. Grandma Nancy is also ok in Florida.” Matt made clear. Hearing about your grandparents and death was never something nice, let alone the circumstances of this particular tale.

“We know, we spoke on the phone yesterday but… it did make me wonder…” Jack said, trailing off his sentence.

“Wonder what?” Matt asked.

“Well, we have two grandmas, but we don’t have two grandpas…” Jack said quietly.

Matt nodded his head. He knew what he was asking without having to ask. He was honestly surprised that it took so long for any of children to ask about their other grandpa.

“You don’t have another grandpa because he died when I was a teenager. My dad… he wasn’t a very nice man and he didn’t treat Grandma Nancy very well and instead of letting the police deal with her situation, she took matters into her own hands and she did something she shouldn’t have done.”

“So she did kill him?” Elliot asked, his eyes darkening. He had a feeling that it was true following his parents reaction when he told them why he punched that kid, but he couldn’t be sure.

“… yeah bud. She did.” Matt said with a nod as the boys looked at him with shock covering their faces. “She spent a long time in jail as punishment for what she did. I know this must seem very scary, but you know she isn’t there now and there is nothing to be afraid of or worried about.” He assured them. As far as they knew, their grandma was a sweet, albeit a little crazy, lady. The last thing he wanted was for his boys to walk away from this feeling completely and utterly terrified of her and this whole situation. He knew that it wasn’t something they would take on lightly, but Matt would be damn sure they would walk away feeling loved and safe. “People are maybe going to say some things to you about it, like they already have. But it was a long time ago, it’s in the past and there is no reason for you to worry about it. The world can be a scary place and bad things happen and the people we love aren’t always going to do things right… all you need to remember is that you are safe and mom and I love you very much and Grandma Nancy loves you very much.”

The boys nodded their heads and smiled softly. They couldn’t really find the words to respond to what they’d just heard, but the least they could do was offer their dad a smile. They knew how much their parents loved them. The felt it every single day and they needed Matt to know that. They loved him and their mom just as much.

“What do we do if someone says it to us again?” Elliot asked. “I know fighting isn’t the right thing to do but I just – I was so _mad_ dad. It was just so _mean_.” He said, finally finding a way to explain how he was feeling in the moment.

“I know buddy. It’s hard not to be mad in a situation like that, but you’re right. Fighting is never the right thing to do. The best thing you can do is to say nothing and just walk away. When people say things like that, they’re often looking for a reaction. Don’t give it to them. They’ll soon realise they’re not getting what they want and they’ll stop.” He advised. He knew he wasn’t the most religious follower of this policy, but he’d be damned if he let his boys make the same mistakes he did over the years.

“I’m sorry that happened to your family dad.” Elliot responded. Even in the midst of his anger, he still found it in him to be his normal sweet and sensitive self.

Matt rested his hand on the back of Elliot’s head; “It’s ok. I’ve got the perfect family right here.” He said as the boys launched forward and hugged him tightly, knowing that as long as their dad was guiding them, all would be ok.


	34. Kicking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I stumbled across an old video of Jesse Spencer and Kara Killmer messing around on set (it's on Chicago Fire's Instagram if you scroll back to summer 2018, it's during the CFD picnic episode where Hermann becomes lieutenant) and it made me really wish Brett and Casey could just have some fun!! Things have been so intense for them, I would love to just see them goofing around and be the centre of the comedy plot for an episode. What do you guys think?! I'm going to try and write some more light-hearted goofy stuff soon to make up for it in the meantime!
> 
> I also have another Brett/Casey story coming up... it's not going to be super long, kind of like a Brettsey movie but in story form and I'm excited to share it with you!! It's soppy and romantic and it toys with the idea that Brett and Casey knew each other before Chicago...
> 
> For now, this is a lighter chapter than the past few have been - I hope you enjoy it!

**Kicking**

Brett walked into 51’s lounge that Wednesday afternoon and everyone immediately smiled at her and gave her overly warm hellos.

“Uh… hi” she greeted with a smile. As nice as this was, it felt a little unusual to be treated like royalty. “What’s goin on?” she asked sceptically.

Mouch quickly moved over from his usual spot on the couch and ushered Sylvie over to sit beside him. “How are you feeling?” he asked sincerely. Truck had heard on their call earlier that Sylvie’s pregnancy sickness had continued well into her second trimester. They knew she was fine and that it was sometimes normal for this to happen, but Matt still really worried about her. He therefore wanted to make sure she was as looked after as much as possible. Her body was doing an amazing thing and she deserved a little TLC.

Sylvie chuckled, “Mouch you don’t need to move for me, I’m fine.”

“No, we are under strict orders from the Captain to make sure you are made to feel as comfortable as possible.” Mouch said as Sylvie hesitantly nodded and sat down beside him. Why would Matt be saying that?

“This baby is our newest recruit to 51 and we look after our own” Hermann added.

They’d known for a while they were having twins, but they hadn’t spilled the beans to anyone yet. They didn’t feel like it warranted any sort of big announcement, so they agreed to just tell people as it came up. One thing they decided they didn’t want to know was the sex of the babies. They wanted to keep _something_ a surprise.

“Actually, it’s _babies_... we’re having twins.” She said with a smile. No time like the present to spill the beans.

“No kidding!” Mouch said with a little too much enthusiasm as everyone else joined in with choruses of ‘aws’ and ‘congratulations’ and ‘amazing news, we had no idea!’

Sylvie all eyed them curiously, as she began to realise that these reactions were overly enthusiastic. She therefore jumped to one simple conclusion: “… he told you didn’t he?”

“… yeah we knew” “We knew pretty much as soon as you knew” “Yeah Casey couldn’t keep it to himself” they all resounded.

“He’s been so excited about this Brett” Stella began as she said on the arm of the sofa. “Any chance he can get to talk about you and those babies on truck – he takes.”

Sylvie blushed and pushed her hair behind her ear – she often did that when Matt did something that gave her butterflies. “Yeah, I get it. I’m not too good at keeping quiet about them either.” She said with a little laugh. “I hope we’re not annoying you all—”

“Are you kidding? You’re housing two new smoke eaters in there, they are part of this 51 family too. You gotta keep us in the loop.” Cruz reasoned. It was if the whole firehouse was having these babies and not just Brett and Casey.

Sylvie shifted uncomfortably and rested her hand under her bump; “Well then you’ll all be horrified to know that these two smoke eaters really like to sit on my bladder which is so swee—OW!” she exclaimed as everyone jumped up and crowed around her.

“Wow, what’s wrong?” Ritter asked desperately.

Sylvie frowned; “I don’t know I just – OW, geez that was _weird_ …” she said as she continued to shift awkwardly where she sat.

“Mackey!” Hermann called as Gianna rushed over to check her out.

“Let me check you out momma…” she said as she bent in front of her. She checked Sylvie’s temperature against her hand and rested her hand against her bump. Sylvie watched her facial expressions changed from concerned to startled.

“What? What is it?” Sylvie asked desperately.

“Uh Brett? I believe this is a little something we call _kicking_ …” Mackey told her as a bright smile rose on her face.

Sylvie’s facial expression softened; “… they’re kicking?”

Mackey nodded as she moved Sylvie’s hand to where she could feel one of the babies pushing against her hand. Sylvie’s smile grew as she felt her babies kick around in there.

“Suddenly I don’t mind them sitting on my bladder” she said with a little laugh as everyone looked at her with such awe and excitement in their eyes. To them, Brett and Casey were destined to be parents – and really damn good ones at that. They were _beyond_ thrilled that this was becoming a reality for them. “I should go find Casey” she said quickly as Mackey pulled her up and watched her rush down the hall to find her husband. He was going to flip _out_ over this.

She ran to his quarters and saw him standing outside the door talking to Boden. She stopped a little distance from them, not wanting to interrupt, but also _really_ wanting to interrupt. Matt stopped mid-sentence when he caught her in his peripheral vision, his serious expression softening as he smiled lightly at her.

“You ok?” he asked.

Sylvie nodded, “Yeah, yeah, it can wait” she said as Matt nodded and turned back to Boden. Sylvie managed to stand there for approximately ten seconds, shifting awkwardly backwards and forwards before she rushed forward. “But it really can’t wait that long Matt they’re kicking!” she said quickly.

Matt’s face instantly beamed – and so did Boden’s. “Really?” He asked.

“I’ll leave you guys to it…” Boden said, knowing this was a private moment they should share together (despite the fact that Mackey had already felt it).

“Give me your hand” she said as she took it and guided it to where she felt the pressure. Matt kept his hand there for a few minutes before frowning.

“I don’t feel anything.”

Sylvie frowned too as she began to move his hand to another spot – but nothing. “They’ve stopped.”

Matt nodded sadly; “It’s ok, I’ll feel it next time” he said as he kissed her cheek, just as the bells went off. “Maybe they’ll be more willing when I get back.”

Sylvie nodded sadly; “Maybe. Stay safe.”

“I will.”

* * *

While truck went out to deal with their latest call, Sylvie sat in the lounge, continually poking her belly, hoping that the babies would push back against her. Sylvie realised this was probably her first lesson in parenting – babies often worked on their own schedule, no matter what their parents wanted.

“They still not kicking?” Ritter asked as he and Severide sat down beside her.

 _“Nope_ … it’s like they’re doing it to tease us.” She said dramatically.

Severide chuckled; “Or they’re just stubborn like their dad…”

 _“Oh!”_ Sylvie said as she sat up straighter. “They did it, they kicked!” she said happily as she grabbed Ritter and Severide’s hands and placed them on her stomach.

Ritter let out a laugh; “I feel it! That’s so cool!”

Severide grimaced slightly; “It’s kind of freaky when you think about…”

Sylvie slapped his arm; “Don’t you dare call my babies freaky.”

Ritter and Severide moved their hands just as Matt walked back in with the rest of truck.

“Matt, quickly, come feel!” she said as his eyes widened and he rushed over, sitting on the coffee table opposite her and placing his hands on her bump. They remained completely still for a few moments, as if making a movement would somehow scare the babies away.

“… nothing?” Sylvie questioned as she scrunched up her nose.

Matt gave her a tight-lipped smile and shook his head; “Next time.” He said, trying to remain positive about it. He knew it wasn’t a big deal, but it was getting him down a little bit. Sylvie, Mackey, Ritter _and_ Severide had all felt it now and he hadn’t. He got up and walked into the kitchen to get some coffee.

Sylvie sighed and sunk further into the sofa; “this _sucks.”_

* * *

That evening Sylvie guiltily walked towards Matt’s quarters. Somehow, and she wasn’t entirely sure how, _everyone_ at 51 had felt their babies kicking apart from Matt. Even _Boden_ had felt it. Sylvie had excitedly grabbed his hand without a second thought. She was just so excited and she wanted to share that excitement.

As she was getting changed to go home, however, the guilt really hit her.

 _“These babies have been playing football with my insides all day and everybody has felt them except for Casey! How is that fair?!”_ She had complained to Mackey and Kidd who could only give her sympathetic stares.

She lightly tapped on Matt’s door frame and he looked up from his desk and saw her giving him a sympathetic smile.

He pouted; “Don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you feel sorry for me…” he replied. He could tell already she had prepared some sort of speech to try and make him feel better about not having felt them kick yet.

“You know what? We’re going to go home and we’re just going to sit and you will not remove you hand from my stomach until you feel these babies kick.” Sylvie said with certainty.

Matt chuckled; “All night?”

 _“All night._ ”

“You’ve still got another 4 or so months babe, I’m sure there will be time in between then.” He said as he stood from his desk. “Besides, I’ll be having a whole life time of these babies, one little kick isn’t going to change that… even though it would be a pretty special thing.” He began rambling. Sylvie smiled softly and walked towards him, lifting his hand and placing it on her stomach. He hadn’t even acknowledged that she’d done it, he just kept rambling. “I mean feeling your baby kick is a really _cool_ thing. And I'm already excited about everything, but that would really just make my day… but like I said it’s totally cool, we have plenty of time an— _oh my god_.” He said suddenly as he looked down at her stomach. There was a kick against his hand. Their baby was kicking. _He’d felt it_. “… they kicked.” He said in a whisper.

Sylvie giggled and nodded her head; “Yeah. They did. Something tells me they like hearing your voice – even if it is rambling incoherently…” she teased as Matt playfully rolled his eyes.

They stood in silence for a moment, just taking the time to feel the babies kick before they stopped.

Matt gulped and looked up at his wife; “All of a sudden it feels a lot more real. There are two moving and thriving babies in there.” He confessed. Before now, they were more like an idea than he’d realised. But now – now he could feel them. Sylvie could really feel them, they were growing into little babies and they were theirs. Half him, half her. It just felt so special.

“It’s pretty great, huh?” Sylvie said quietly with the sweetest smile on her face.

Matt beamed at her; “I love you. So much.”

“I love you too… _dad.”_ She said with a giggle as they smiled against each other’s lips before kissing sweetly and perfectly.


	35. Nancy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two times Nancy Casey walked in at inopportune moments and the one time the moment was just right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is a random one-shot idea that popped into my head the other day and I had to write it! I hope you enjoy

**Nancy**

Sylvie threw her head back and tried to catch her breath and come down from her high. Her arms were wrapped securely around Matt’s shoulders as she straddled his lap, his own arms wrapped around her waist and his nose and smirk grazing along the front of her neck as he too caught his breath. 

“Oh _god_ ” Sylvie said as Matt chuckled. 

“I think we made a wise choice staying home this weekend.” Matt agreed as he placed a delicate kiss on her throat. 

_“Uh huh_ ” Sylvie managed to mumble out. Yesterday had marked 6 months since they got together and while they had planned to go out and celebrate, they’d gotten distracted by some more _intimate_ activities – not that either of them were complaining. “We uh – we need to rehydrate.” she said as she rolled off Matt and onto her back. “But I’m not sure my legs will work.” 

Matt chuckled and hovered over her, his hands holding him steady. “Job well done then” he teased. He moved down to kiss her again but she moved over head and pushed him off her before clambering out of bed. 

“Boy do I feel _used_ right now...” He mocked as she shook his head from where he lay. She wasn’t even going to give him _one_ after kiss? 

Sylvie giggled, “You’ll be thanking me when I come back with _sustenance_.” she said as she pulled on a pair of underwear and a discarded t-shirt. 

Matt sighed, “Probably.” 

Sylvie gave him a nod, “I will be right back.” 

“Yes ma’am...” he teased as she playfully rolled her eyes. “Hey” he said just as she got to the door. “I love you” 

Sylvie beamed at him “I love you too” she replied before leaving the room and heading into the kitchen. Two weeks had passed since Matt showed her the dream house. They decided that while they were renovating it, they could still move in together at a temporary location. They’d found a nice 2-bedroom apartment in the same area and they’d begun moving in last week. There were plenty of boxes that needed unpacked, but already it felt like _their_ space and they were excited to be living together. 

Sylvie walked into the kitchen and went straight to the fridge to find something to drink. She reached for two glasses and poured some juice into them – she thought the sugar might do them some good. She lifted the glasses and was about to turn and go back to the bedroom when suddenly, a figure jumped up from behind the island. 

_“SURPRISE!”_ they shouted 

_“OH_ my god!” Sylvie exclaimed in fright as she jumped and dropped the glasses at her feet, causing them to shatter. _“Shit_ ” Sylvie exclaimed as a piece of glass cut the top of her foot. 

“You’re not Matt.” the voice said in confusion. 

Sylvie looked at the figure like they were insane, “No, no I am not” she said as she hobbled around the counter to one of the barstools. She sat down and put her foot on the stool opposite to inspect the damage. 

The figure smirked, “You must be the new girl.” 

Sylvie looked up and her eyes widened as she finally took the time to realise who had snuck into her home. Before she could respond, Matt came bursting into the room having heard the commotion downstairs. 

“Babe, what— _mom?_ ” he questioned as Nancy turned around and smiled widely at him. 

“Hi honey!” she greeted as she walked forward and hugged him tightly. 

“Wha--what are you doing here?” he asked cautiously. 

“I thought I’d come surprise you! It’s been far too long. You know I never really wanted to set foot in Chicago again, but I just thought why the hell not? He’s _dead_ Nancy you’ve got nothing to worry about!” she rambled. 

Matt clenched his jaw, _“Mom.”_ he warned. He really hated it when she was so flippant about the fact that she’d killed her husband. Since she’d gotten out of jail and started over, she’d almost become desensitised to it. 

“Sorry” she lamely apologised. 

“Did you let yourself in?” he asked, his attention turning back to Sylvie who was tending to her foot. 

“Yeah you really need to find a better place to hide your spare key sweetie” she said as she pat his cheek and moved past him towards Sylvie. “I’m sorry I scared you. I’m Nancy” 

“Sylvie, it’s nice to meet you.” Sylvie said with a small smile as she shook her hand. Despite her pain, she was _thrilled_ to finally be meeting Matt’s mom. “I’m also sorry that I’m half naked right now...” she said with an awkward grimace as Matt looked down to hide his smirk. This really wasn’t how he envisioned Sylvie meeting his mom, but he couldn’t help but find the humour in it. 

Nancy quirked an eyebrow, “Well I’m sorry I interrupted your morning _fun_...” 

Matt scoffed and walked past Nancy to look at Sylvie’s foot, “I’m sure you are” 

Sylvie winced as Matt held her foot lightly to look at the gash. “Yeah, I think you’re going to need stitches” 

“So much for a weekend at home...” Sylvie said with a pout. 

“You guys go to the hospital, I’ll clean up this mess and cook you a nice meal for when you get back. The least I can do!” Nancy insisted. Matt nodded his head a little hesitantly. Since when did his mother become so hospitable? 

“Ok” he replied. “We’ll just go get dressed” 

He helped Sylvie off the stool and watched as she tried to hobble towards their bedroom down the hall. He smirked and closed the short distance between them, “Yeah I don’t think so” he said as he scooped her up causing her to squeal slightly in surprise. 

“Oh, my hero” she joked as they both started to laugh while they left the kitchen. 

Nancy smiled after them. It had been a long time since she’d seen her son laugh like that and while she didn’t know Sylvie, that simple moment told her all she needed to know - she was the best thing to ever happen to her son.

* * *

It was a Friday night and Matt and Sylvie were sitting snuggled on the sofa in the playroom with their kids. It was way past their bedtime, but they batted their sweet blue eyes at their parents and managed to convince them that a late-night movie was ok just this once. Elliot was snuggled into Sylvie’s side, while Jack was slouched in the middle, his little leg resting on Matt’s thigh, while a 2-year-old Annie lay across Matt’s chest, sucking on her Sippy cup. 

Sylvie looked down the line and smirked at her husband. His eyebrows were furrowed as he concentrated on the cartoon on the screen. He’d never admit it, but he loved watching kids cartoons. He welcomed any excuse to avoid the realities of adult life and feel like a child again. 

Sylvie then looked at her kids. They looked like they were about to pass out. Jack and Elliot was uncharacteristically mellow while Annie was clearly fighting to keep her eyes open. Thankfully the movie was coming to an end and they could get them to bed with little fuss. 

“Ok little ones, bed” Sylvie said as she ran her hand over Elliot’s hair. 

Jack sighed, “I’m not even tired mom...” he said before yawning. 

Sylvie chuckled, “Yeah I can see that...” 

Matt was about to jump in at this point, but before he would say anything, they heard the front door open and shut before a figure appeared in the playroom with a bounce. 

_“SURPRISE!”_

_“Grandma_!” Jack and Elliot exclaimed as they ran towards Nancy and hugged her. Annie then soon wiggled off Matt’s lap and ran to her grandmother, her blonde curls bouncing along with her as she giggled at the excitement. 

“Oh my _angels_ , let me see you all.” she said as she stood back and looked at her beaming grandchildren. “Like little dolls, just _perfect_!” she said as she quickly kissed them all. 

“Mom...” Matt began as he and Sylvie stood from the sofa in confusion. “It’s 10pm.” 

Nancy nodded, “I know, a later flight time was all I could get so here I am!” she announced proudly. “Hi Sylvie honey.” 

“Hi Nancy” she said with a smile she then turned to Matt with wide eyes. Sylvie and Nancy were fond of each other and while Sylvie was glad to see her, she really did choose the most inopportune moments to show up (and she seemed to also have a problem with ringing the doorbell). 

“Uh mom we were just about to put the kids to bed, why don’t you help us?” he asked. 

Nancy tutted, “No, no, no, I just got here! Besides it’s the weekend, we should have some fun!” 

“We have shift tomorrow Nancy, we should really get to bed--” 

“Oh this is _perfect!_ ” she said happily. “I can look after the kids for you.” she said as they all eagerly nodded their heads. They rarely got to see their grandma since she lived in Florida so it was like Christmas having her here. Nancy had fully embodied the ‘fun’ grandma. She figured since she couldn’t give Matt and Christie an overly happy childhood, she could make up for it now. 

“They have a nanny, it might be a bit strange disrupting their routine--” Sylvie began. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Nancy, but embodying the ‘fun’ grandma with no real supervision could turn problematic. 

“I’ll pay her myself if it means I get to spend time with these monkeys.” Nancy insisted. “Come on, it’ll be fun!” 

Sylvie looked at Matt and shrugged, giving him the gesture that it was entirely up to him – his mom, his problem. He looked down at the kids who were practically giving him puppy dog eyes. His mom was rarely here, so it would be nice for the kids to spend the day with her – right? 

_“... sure.”_ Matt agreed as the kids all cheered. “But there will be some rules. Just because grandma is here doesn’t mean we forget our routines--” 

“Oh Matt let them _live_ a little.” Nancy said, brushing him off. “Now - who wants to see what sugary treats I brought them from Florida?!” 

“We do!” the twins shouted at once as they followed Nancy out of the room and down the hall and into the kitchen. 

Matt clicked his tongue against his teeth before turning to look at Sylvie who had her arms folded and her eyebrows raised. 

“... is it too late to take that back?” he questioned. 

Sylvie chuckled, “ _Your_ mom – _your_ problem.” 

“Whatever happened to what’s mine is yours?!” he questioned as Sylvie left the room and walked towards the stairs. 

“You don’t seem to follow that attitude when I wanted a few of your potato chips earlier.” she challenged as she stopped at the foot of the stairs and held on to the bannister. 

“That-that’s entirely different. My problems and your problems became _our_ problems when you finally confessed how obsessed you were with me 8 years ago.” he said with a quick eyebrow quick. 

“Oh my _god_ ” Sylvie said as she rolled her eyes and swatted him in the chest. _“Obsessed?”_

_“Yeah”_ he said with a furious and teasing nod. 

“I’m not the one who stormed through the bunk room and kissed me mid-sentence.” she said with a smirk. Every second of that moment was forever etched on her mind. 

“You love my rude interruptions.” he said with his own lopsided smirk 

“Yeah, I do... and right now I am _very_ much loving the idea of an uninterrupted sleep while your mom looks after the kids.” Sylvie replied. 

Matt scoffed, “You seriously think they’re going to stay quiet down here?” 

“No... but I am putting my ear plugs in and I am blocking out the world.” she said as she quickly kissed him. “I know it seems like an inopportune moment for your mom to walk into the house, but it’s kind of her thing – let them go a little wild while she’s here.” 

“I’m going to remind you of this when you come downstairs to the house turned upside down.” Matt called up the stairs after her. 

Matt looked down the hall and into the kitchen to where Nancy was huddled around the island with his kids. He smiled softly at the scene. They were all beaming and laughing and it was the most wonderful thing to see. There was a time when Matt didn’t think moments like this would ever be possible, so if his mom wanted to rock up well past the kids’ bedtime – then he was going to roll with it.

* * *

_Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday Jack and Elliot, happy birthday to you!_

Cheers erupted in the Casey backyard as 10-year olds Jack and Elliot blew out the candles on their birthday cake. Matt and Sylvie had organised a family party for the twins that Sunday afternoon following the wild gathering they had with their friends on Saturday. It brought them so much joy seeing how much their boys were loved. Their 51 family were all here, Sylvie’s parents, her brother Tom and her little sister Amelia, and Christie and Violet. Sylvie had barely stopped crying all day. It was a mixture of joy for her boys and sadness that they seemed to be growing up so fast. 

While Jack and Elliot showed off their new presents to their family, Matt stood in the frame of the patio doors, taking it all in. Sylvie soon approached him and wrapped her arms around his waist and he instinctively wrapped one over her shoulder. 

“You ok?” she asked, seeing that he looked a little distant. 

“Yeah, I’m ok... I'm so happy to have my family in one place. Seriously, I don’t think we’ve had all of 51, your parents and brother and Christie and Violet in the same room since our wedding” he said with a little laugh. 

Sylvie smiled, “I know, it’s strange to think that that was 11 years ago.” 

“Time flies when you’re having fun...” he said as he kissed her head. “I wish my mom could have come.” he said quietly. 

Sylvie nodded, now realising why he wasn’t fully in the room. “She’s 76 Matt, it’s not so easy for her to travel from Florida--” 

_“SURPRISE!”_

Sylvie and Matt jumped out of their skin as they turned around and saw Nancy standing behind them with a beaming smile on her face. 

_“Mom?” “Nancy?”_

_“Grandma!”_ the boys exclaimed as the ran from the table and hugged her. 

“My boys, let me see you” she said as they stepped back and Nancy took them in. “Yep, you’re somehow more handsome than when we last spoke.” 

Elliot giggled, “we spoke on video chat yesterday.” 

“I know, that’s why I’m so _confused_!” she teased. “Well, now that I’m here, I guess the fun can begin!” she said as Christie and Violet came over and gave her a quick hug. 

“We didn’t think you could make it” Matt said in disbelief. 

Nancy rested her hand on Matt’s cheek, “Oh honey... you should know by now that I’m always full of surprises – and that I'll always be here when you need me.” she said with a wink as Matt smiled softly at her. They’d certainly come a long way since Matt’s difficult teenage years. 

The boys dragged Nancy to the table and sat down with her to show her their presents. Matt couldn’t help but think about all the times his mom dropped by unexpectedly. Interrupted sexcapades, interrupted bedtimes – she drove Matt _nuts_ over the years with her random drops ins, but seeing her now with her grandkids looking so spritely and happy – Matt wouldn’t have it any other way. She’d picked herself up and put herself back together and he was proud of her. 

He was also proud that she’d finally picked an opportune moment to rock up at the door. 


	36. A Letter of Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a little follow up chapter to chapter 16 'Memories' so give it a little read to refresh your brains! 
> 
> Sylvie begins to panic about the dangers of their job.

**A Letter of Love**

A little over a month had passed since Matt’s accident and subsequent surgery. He’d been cleared for duty a few days ago and he was more than ready to get back to it. He’d missed 51 more than anything – but he appreciated the time to rest and the time to spend with his kids. The Casey house had pretty much become daddy day care for the past month with Sylvie warning them that the house better be in one piece by the time she got home from work (which was rarely the case).

The morning of his first shift back, Matt came downstairs in his captain’s whites to find the kids eating breakfast at the kitchen island.

“Morning little Caseys” he greeted as Jack jumped off the stool and ran towards him, charging straight into his torso, causing him to let out a little groan.

“Wow, Jack, be careful.” Sylvie scolded as she rushed around the counter. “Are you ok?” she immediately asked Matt.

Matt eyed her curiously, “Yeah, I’m fine” Jack had charged at him countless times, why was she so concerned now?

“Jack apologise to your dad. _Now_.” Sylvie instructed sternly.

“Sorry dad, I just wanted to give you a good luck hug… overestimated my strength.” He joked at the end.

“I appreciate it buddy” he said as he ran his hand through his hair and kissed his head.

Jack ran back to the counter to join his siblings as Matt turned to Sylvie.

“What’s going on?” he asked quietly.

Sylvie crossed her arms over her chest, “Are you sure you’re ready to go back?” she asked nervously.

“Babe, I’m fine. My incision is healed, I’m ready to go” he said as he held onto her arms.

Sylvie reluctantly nodded her head and gulped, “Ok.” Understandably, she’d been having a hard time since the accident. Matt basically gave her a goodbye speech and thinking that the love of her life was going to die wasn’t something a person got over quickly. She knew that every call a firefighter went on might be their last, but now that she had so much to lose, that reality felt a heck of a lot scarier.

Matt nodded his head, a look of concern still on his face. Before he could say anything else, Sylvie turned back to the kids.

“Ok, go get your bags, we have to go” Sylvie instructed as they jumped off their stools and ran to get their things for school and pre-school.

Sylvie gave Matt a weak and tight-lipped smile before leaving the kitchen too. Matt knew she was holding back how she was really feeling. It was written all over her face. But now wasn’t the time to get into it.

* * *

After leaving the kids at school, Matt and Sylvie made their way to work. As they walked into the lounge, the whole of 51 were already waiting. When they spotted their captain and PIC, they all erupted into cheers of hello and welcome back.

“Welcome back Captain.” Cruz said as he hugged his friend. “I think I speak for all of us when I say this – no more heroic, romantic saves while on the job, ok?” he teased as Matt shoved him lightly. Pushing Sylvie out of the way and taking the hit really was like something out of a movie.

“Don’t worry, he’s already been warned” Sylvie semi-joked back as Matt smiled softly at her.

“I’ll do my best…” he replied. “What’s for breakfast?”

Before anybody could answer, the bells went off, calling all units to a house fire downtown. As they all rushed out of the lounge, Sylvie quickly grabbed onto Matt’s arm and turned him back.

“Be careful.” She said quietly.

“I will.” He promised as he gave her a quick, but lingering kiss on the cheek before rushing out the door.

* * *

The fire had been a big one. It consumed the whole house and with damaged floorboards and ceilings, it was proving difficult to get to all of the victims quickly and easily. There was one last woman in the house that they were struggling to get to over the burning wood – and Matt was the one inside trying to get to her. Sylvie could barely concentrate on tending to the other victims of the fire. Of _course_ on his first day back he would be put in a situation like this. It seemed _ridiculous_. She was made even angrier when she heard Mouch say Casey had ordered them out of there for their own safety. She understood his desire to protect his men, but he had a team for a reason – _to back him up._

“Casey, get out of there!” Boden ordered over the radio. “It’s going to blow!”

Sylvie watched an explosion erupt in the house as two figures came flying through the front window, missing the flames by mere inches.

“Brett, Mackey!” Boden exclaimed as they immediately ran to Matt and the victim. While Mackey attended to the woman and got her to the ambulance with the help of truck, Sylvie tended to Matt.

“Are you ok?” she asked desperately as he sat up on the ground and removed his helmet.

“I’m fine.” He insisted as he coughed and spluttered a little. He had a few cuts along his hands and his face, but other than that he looked ok. Sylvie checked his lungs with her stethoscope and when Matt had caught his breath, he looked at his wife and saw that she had tears in her eyes. He hadn’t meant to scare her like that and now she could barely look at him.

“Casey, go to med with Mackey and Brett, get checked out.” Boden ordered, snapping him out of his stare.

“I’m fine chief—”

“Not optional, you just dived through a window – _go.”_

Matt reluctantly nodded as Sylvie helped him to his feet. He reached out for her as she walked away but she shrugged him off, leaving him feeling worse than before.

* * *

Matt was soon given the all clear at Med and rode back to the firehouse with a silent Brett and Mackey. Mackey tried to make small talk to ease the tension between the couple, but nothing worked. They remained silent and Mackey took it as her sign to remain silent too.

When they got back to the house, the rest of the team were already there. They all watched as Matt and Sylvie stormed past the lounge – in opposite directions, before Mackey came in with wide eyes.

“What was that?” Hermann asked as Mackey sighed and slumped down in a nearby chair.

“I have _no_ idea. They _refused_ to talk to each other the whole way back here.” Mackey told them.

“Something tells me Brett isn’t too happy about Casey thinking he’s invincible.” Stella remarked. “The guy jumped through a window on his first day back after being stabbed in the abdomen – it’s be mad too if it was Severide!” she reasoned.

“Stella, it’s our job. He didn’t really have much of a choice.” Severide reasoned.

Stella nodded, “I know that and Brett knows that – but it doesn’t make it any less scary.”

* * *

Sylvie kept her distance from Matt for the next while as she dealt with her emotions. He scared the _crap_ out of her and she was afraid she was just going to explode at him if they tried to talk about it – but she knew that they had to. She gathered her courage at lunch time to go into his quarters and work this out.

She silently crept into his quarters and closed the door behind her, causing Matt to look up at her. “Hi” he greeted.

“Hi” she replied as she leaned against the door. “What the _hell_ were you thinking Matt?” she asked quietly. _So much for not getting mad._ At least it was a controlled anger – for now anyway.

“I was thinking that I need to get this woman out of this house before it explodes, and that window was the only option.” Matt told her, a little more harshly than he anticipated.

“It was so _reckless_.” Sylvie replied. “You just had surgery—”

“Over a month ago Sylvie.” He reminded her. “I’m fully healed, you know that!”

“That doesn’t mean you should be jumping through windows!” she said, finally raising her voice.

Matt stood from his chair, “So you think I should have just let that woman die?!”

_“No—”_

“This is the job we signed up for Sylvie. We have to accept the fact that every call we make might be our last!”

“I know that!” she shouted back. “Believe me I do, but this isn’t about just you Matt, you have so much more to lose, you have a wife and three children who need you! You are the easiest person in the world to love – but it just makes the thought of not having you that much harder.”

Matt froze, finally realising what that this was about more than a moment of anger. She was _scared._ She was scared for their family. She almost lost him once and it was one of the most painful experiences of her life.

Sylvie gulped and looked at her feet, “I know we talked about it before the twins were born and we said that naturally we would be more cautious on the job but your accident – it was the first time that the reality of that hit me. We have so much more to live for now. The thought of either of us not being here for their big moments. I – I can’t bare it.” She confessed. The thought of not seeing her kids grow up broke her heart.

“Sylvie – _we’re right here_.” Matt told her as he cautiously took a step closer towards her. “We’re not missing _anything_.”

“But we _might_. That is the job we signed up for, remember?” she said, repeating his words back to him. “And I love this job and I know you love it too and I could never give it up… but it just comes with an extra weight now and that’s _hard_.”

Matt took the final steps forward and pulled her against his chest. Sylvie sighed against the sound of his beating heart. He was very much alive and that was all that should matter, right?

“We could spend a lifetime on ‘what ifs’ in this job – but it’s not going to get us anywhere. We have to learn to live in the moment. To take each day as they come and right now – _we’re alive._ We’re not missing _any_ big moments.” He told her quietly as he held her even tighter than usual. She lifted her head to look at him as he delicately moved her hair out of her face. “Sometimes this job causes us to do reckless things… but you know I am a carefully calculated person and I would never do anything that wasn’t entirely necessary.”

Sylvie nodded her head, “I know. I know exactly who you are Matt Casey. I know how much you love us and I know that you don’t deliberately do stupid stuff... I’m sorry I got overly emotional—”

Matt shook his head, “You have nothing to be sorry for. Do you have any idea how freaked out I can get when you have a rough call?” he asked with a little smirk.

Sylvie chuckled lightly, “Oh, I know.” She replied. She needn’t look further than the day they got engaged or the day she found out she was pregnant with Jack and Elliot. “It’s nice knowing you have something to fight for – isn’t it?”

Matt pulled her against him again and held her tightly. It was conversations like this that made Matt never want to let her go. His family was the most precious thing in the world to him. Everything he did was for them.

“Yeah. It’s the best.”

* * *

The following day, Matt rescheduled his construction jobs to spend the day with Sylvie. It had been a while since they could just lounge about the house together while the kids were at school – there was always something else on.

When they got home, however, the first thing they did was fall asleep. Anything else therefore had to wait. Matt woke up early afternoon to find that Sylvie was no longer snuggled into his chest. He looked around the room and spotted her sitting at her dressing table writing something. He stretched and got out of bed to go and see what she was doing.

“What’s up?” he asked as he rested his hands on her shoulders and kissed her head.

“I had an idea” Sylvie said with a little smile.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah… I know we said we were going to live in the moment because that’s all we can do, but there’s no harm in preparing a little for the future, right?” she asked as she looked at him through the reflection in the mirror.

Matt nodded, “I guess so, yeah.”

Sylvie turned in her stool and handed Matt a pile of envelopes.

_To Jack on your graduation._

_To Elliot on your 21 st birthday._

_To Annie on your wedding day._

_To Jack on your first heartbreak._

_To Elliot on your first day of fatherhood._

_To Annie on the first day of your career._

They each had a letter under the above life events and more. Matt was stunned into a momentary silence. He could only imagine the love that Sylvie poured into these letters.

“We don’t know if we’ll ever get to say what we want to say at these big moments. Whether it’s because we won’t be there or because I’ll be an emotional wreck.” She said with a little laugh. “Either way – it might be a nice gift, don’t you think?” she questioned hopefully.

Matt looked down at her and nodded with an emotional gulp. “Yeah. It’s a very special gift.”

Sylvie handed him some paper and a pen. “Get writing.”

Matt gratefully took the paper from her to add to their collection of letters. It was moments like this that Matt's heart beat that little bit faster for his wife _._ Her heart was so full of love for everything she had – and his heart was so full of love for it too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It seems I've been inspired by letter writing in my stories recently... I hope you enjoyed!


	37. Alternative Reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sylvie has an unexpected run in while out in Chicago and gets some closure she didn't know she needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all your lovely comments last chapter! I hope you enjoy this one. It's a little random and short but a cute one nonetheless!

**Alternative Realities**

It was a sunny Thursday morning in Chicago and Sylvie decided to take full advantage of the good weather. While Matt took the boys to pre-k and then went on to a construction job, Sylvie took Annie out in her stroller for a walk along the lakefront trail.

As she walked, Sylvie was constantly cooing and chatting to her baby. She must have seemed a little crazy to the passers-by, but she didn’t care. Annie kept smiling and wiggling as her form of communication to what her mom was saying, and it just spurred Sylvie on further. Her heart felt like it could burst with joy and love over her little girl. She truly completed their family.

“You are just the sweetest baby in the world, aren’t you?” she said down to her daughter as she delicately ran her index finger over her soft little cheek. “Yes, you are—”

_“Sylvie?”_

Sylvie looked up, her face falling slightly at the person standing in front of her.

“… _Gabby._ _Hi.”_ Sylvie replied, a little stunned to see her. She froze for a few seconds before she briefly stepped around the pram and gave her former friend a one-armed hug. It was a little awkward, but it felt like the right thing to do. As stunned as she was, she was genuinely glad to see her. It had been at least 8 years since they’d last spoken.

Gabby smiled widely at her, “It’s really great to see you”

“Yeah you too” Sylvie agreed.

“I was going to stop by the firehouse tomorrow. Seems I’ll be getting a double dose of my former partner this trip.” She joked. “And who is this little lady?” she asked as she peered over the pram. Sylvie watched as Annie furrowed her brow at the stranger staring in at her.

“This is Annie” Sylvie said with a beaming smile.

“She’s _so_ beautiful Sylvie…” Gabby said before letting out a chuckle, “I see she’s inherited that eyebrow twitch thing Matt does”

“Oh yeah. All three of my babies did.” Sylvie replied. It was a classic Casey trait.

“Yeah I met Jack last year. I noticed he had your eyes but everything else was Matt.” Gabby said, freezing for a second and wondering if she’s stuck her foot in it. Did Sylvie know about that little meeting?

“Yeah… Matt told me…” Sylvie said a little awkwardly as Gabby just nodded.

“I uh – I’m sorry that I just kind of sprung up and asked to meet him like that. It was super lame of me. I was just trying to work through some stuff, and I was going about it in a really selfish way.” Gabby fumblingly apologised.

Sylvie shook her head, “It’s ok. I’m sure finding out about the life Matt had here was difficult for you.” She said. Like Matt, she wasn’t willing to apologise for her family, but she was willing to acknowledge that it was bound to be a hard thing for Gabby to wrap her head around and accept.

“It kind of hurt at first… but the moment I saw Matt with Jack that hurt washed away.” She said with a little smile. “I gave up what I had with Matt and I knew the consequences of that would be him moving on – and I’m _so_ happy that he’s the happiest he’s ever been. He got all he ever wanted, and I love him enough to recognise that and be grateful for it. He loves you _so_ much Sylvie”

Sylvie smiled softly, “I know.” She didn’t need Gabby to tell her that, but it was nonetheless a kind thing to hear from her.

Gabby nodded lightly. She saw the way Sylvie’s eyes lit up at her words. In that instant, she knew Sylvie loved him just as much back. “I did tell you you were going to find your Casey one day…”

“Oh god” Sylvie said with a laugh. “The _irony_.” She commented as Gabby laughed too.

“I’m really happy that you’re just as happy Sylvie. You deserve that and more.”

“Thanks Gabby… and you seem happy too?” she questioned. Gabby deserved it just as much as she did.

Gabby nodded and smiled, “Yeah. I’m happy. I’m here for some fundraising but I uh – I also wanted to show my fiancée and my son Chicago.” She said as the nodded in the direction of a tall, lean man and a little boy who were sitting by the water giggling about something.

Sylvie smiled widely, “Gabby… you have a son?”

“Yeah” she said with a proud nod and a smile. “His name is Matteo, we adopted him a few months back. He’s 3 years old and he’s just _amazing_ Sylvie. My fiancée, Liam, is also a relief worker in Puerto Rico. He’s originally from Springfield so we’re doing the full Illinois tour over the next week.”

“That’s so exciting, I’m sure Matteo will love it.” Sylvie said excitedly. “I remember when we took the boys to see Cloud Gate for the first time, they were _totally_ mesmerised looking at their reflections. It’s definitely worth the trip to see Matteo’s face.”

Gabby giggled, “Sounds like a good idea. I uh – I should get going. Let you and Annie get back to your walk.”

“You should definitely come by the firehouse tomorrow. 51 misses you.”

“Yeah, I will.” Gabby said with a sincere and hopeful smile. “See you Sylvie” she said before turning and walking away. Sylvie watched as Matteo ran towards Gabby and jumped into her arms. She couldn’t help but beam at the scene in front of her. She always knew Gabby would make a great mom, and she was thankful that that dream had become a reality.

* * *

Matt returned late from his job that evening, so he and Sylvie decided to have a semi-date night dinner after they'd put the kids to bed. They had to take whatever opportunities they could to spend time together in their crazy house.

As Matt washed up, Sylvie sat on the counter beside him with a towel to dry them.

“Do you ever wonder about alternative realities?” Sylvie asked.

Matt eyed her curiously, “What do you mean?”

“Like the path we thought our lives were going to take, or paths they _could_ have taken if we’d made different choices.”

Matt thought about it for a minute. He didn’t really like to dwell in the past – his wasn’t one with a lot of joy in it. “Not really” he replied with a little shrug. “I mean, sometimes I’d be looking at you or the kids and I’d wonder what my life would have been like without you – but I quickly shake those thoughts away because that’s a pretty unbearable reality to me.” He said with a sheepish smile that Sylvie returned. “Why do you ask?”

“I uh – I saw Gabby today.” She blurted out.

Matt stopped what he was doing and looked at her, “Yeah?” he questioned.

“Yeah… she’s in town for the week with her son and fiancée.” Sylvie told him as Matt smiled. It was nice to Sylvie seeing that he could smile when Gabby was mentioned. It was a smile that showed he was really happy to hear that she had a family. “She was so happy and content Matt. After your last encounter with her, it was just really nice to see everything come full circle. To see us where we’re meant to be.”

“Is that why you asked about alternate realities? You were wondering what life would be like if Gabby hadn’t have left?” he asked.

Sylvie nodded, “I know it seems dumb and you’re right to not want to dwell on the past, I just – I couldn’t help myself.”

Matt dried his hands and moved to stand in front of Sylvie. He rested his hands on the counter either side of her and looked at her with the same loving look he gave her every day.

“What happened back then – it wasn’t easy and at the time I didn’t think I could ever be happy again, but I was wrong. I am so grateful that things worked out the way that they did. I’ve never been happier” he said as he delicately kissed her jaw, causing her to smile, “or more in love” she let out a breathy giggle as she put her arms on his neck and he lifted his head back up. “So let’s live in the now.”

“You got it Captain” she said with a wink as Matt smirked before diving forward and hungrily kissing her, ready to make to make the most of their semi-date night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was inspired by an recent interview from Monica about the potential romance between Brett and Casey... and also my hopes that Gabby finds her happiness! Let me know what you think


	38. Sweepstake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a fun little something!
> 
> I've also done a little bit of editing on chapter 9 - so be sure to check it out!

**Sweepstake**

Lunch time had hit second shift and while everybody tucked into the meal Gallo and Ritter had prepared, Matt was busy in the kitchen preparing something else. Sylvie had practically _inhaled_ her breakfast and lunch, but it was doing nothing to satisfy her pregnancy cravings. She didn’t remember having such intense cravings with the twins, but this baby was testing her ability to be disciplined and healthy. Right now, a chocolate milkshake with extra whipped cream and a dash of caramel sauce was the only thing that would satisfy her.

Luckily, Matt was on was on hand to make sure that Sylvie got her milkshake. Ritter and Gallo offered to make it, but Sylvie insisted that nobody made a milkshake like Matt did. She knew it seemed dumb – a milkshake was a milkshake – but whatever Matt did to it was _magic._ The perfect balance of chocolate and caramel.

Sylvie eagerly peered over Matt’s shoulder as he stood by the blender, adding the finishing touches to it.

“When Boden asks me why I didn’t finish the paperwork from our call this morning – I’m not sure this excuse is going to cut it.” He said with a little laugh.

Sylvie rested her hand over his shoulder, “Oh I’m sure he’ll understand. I doubt Donna was a stranger to cravings.”

“True” he conceded as he poured the milkshake into a glass and put a straw in it. “But I doubt Boden abandoned his paperwork to run home and make her what she wanted.” He said as he handed her the glass. He supposed this was a perk of working together.

Sylvie smiled, “You’re just a sucker for me Matt Casey.” She said as she took a sip from her drink. “My god. _Delicious_. Thank you” she said as she gave him a quick kiss.

“You’re welcome” Matt said with a little laugh. He turned his head towards the rest of the lounge and frowned. It was empty. “… where is everyone?” he asked as Sylvie turned around and frowned as well.

“No idea…”

* * *

While Sylvie and Matt had their backs turned, the whole of 51 made a quick escape to the blue room. It was a cramped experience as they all shuffled in, but it was for an important cause. A _very_ important cause. They needed a quiet space to do this and there was no way that Boden, Casey or Brett would think to look in the Blue Room – right?

“Ok everybody listen up!” Hermann said as everyone quietened down and listened intensely. “Another firehouse 51 baby will be joining us very soon.” He said as everybody smiled sweetly and a few aws were heard. Everyone was thrilled for Brett and Casey. They loved Jack and Elliot like they were their own, so another little Casey was a true blessing on this house. “And before we meet that sweet little baby, there is something very important that we must do.” He said as he turned to the white board behind him and flipped it around. “Baby sweepstake!” he announced as everyone clapped. A few even rubbed their hands together, ready to get in on this action.

“Ok, the rules” Mouch said as he stepped forward. “We’ve got three categories – sex, date of birth and weight. You put $20 all in the boot, you write your predictions by your name” he said motioning to the carefully drawn chart on the white board. “If the winner is bang on, you get all the money. If there are some close calls, the top three get to divide it between them. If you get the sex wrong off the bat, then you’re _out_ – precision is _key_ people.” Mouch told them seriously.

“But let’s face it – everybody is going to get through round one because we all know that baby’s going to be—” Hermann began.

“A boy.” Everyone said at once, finishing Hermann’s sentence with a nod of certainty. Casey was a boy dad, it was just the way it was!

“Ok, everybody line up, single file, get your money and your predictions in” Hermann said as they all scrambled forward before the bells went off to get this done.

Meanwhile, Brett and Casey were searching through the firehouse for everybody. They weren’t in the bunk room, the apparatus floor, the lounge, the meeting room – that only really left the bullpen. It seemed unlikely but where else was there? As they walked in, they looked at Boden’s assistant who raised her eyebrows and pointed towards the blue room. They both looked at the door curiously before they heard Hermann shouted.

_“Kidd, are you joking?! A girl?! No way!”_

Brett and Casey’s eyes grew wider as they waked towards the door. They heard the arguing continue.

 _“Your theory is whack Hermann, I’m telling you – it’s a girl.”_ Stella said.

_“Nah, Hermann’s theory is on the money – it’s a boy.”_

_“Severide!”_

Matt put his hand on the door handle and briefly glanced at Sylvie before he turned it and slowly pushed it open. Everybody in the room froze as Mouch and Cruz desperately tried to hide the sweepstake board from view.

“… what’s going on?” Matt asked as Sylvie continued to drink her milkshake with a suspicious look on her face.

“Oh, nothing Captain, we’re just – spending some time together in the blue room. _Great_ room.” Gallo quickly said as everyone nodded in agreement.

Matt looked around the room, entirely confused by what was going on right now. It took him a few minutes to see the white board behind them.

“What’s on the board?” he asked as everybody remained silent. Matt crossed his arms over his chest, looking entirely unimpressed. “It’s as if you’re _all_ looking to be written up.” He threatened as their faces screwed up. Eventually they all stepped aside, creating a path for Brett and Casey to enter the room and look at the board.

“… baby sweepstake?” Sylvie questioned, entirely confused by the board.

Matt looked down at Sylvie’s little baby bump, back up at the board before turning around to face everyone. “You’re betting on our baby?” he questioned as they all silently nodded. “Did you do this with Jack and Elliot?”

Everyone began to protest – a little too much. Matt and Sylvie both raised their eyebrows in disbelief as their protests quickly turned to ‘yeah we did’ ‘I was so close to winning’ ‘double the stakes with two babies, it was hard’

“Yeah, I won 200 bucks!” Cruz announced happily as Mouch slapped him as a way of signalling that he needed to be quiet now.

“Captain, it’s just a little bit of fun, no big deal at all” Stella insisted.

“And besides, it doesn’t feel like a bet at this stage, more like a certainty.” Hermann added.

“What’s a certainty?” Matt questioned.

“That baby is a _boy_.” Hermann repeated as everyone agreed – except Stella of course. She just rolled her eyes. She was _convinced_ the newest Casey would be a little girl.

Matt looked at them all in disbelief as Sylvie continued to drink her milkshake and silently eye up the situation.

“… how could you possibly know that?” Matt asked. He and Sylvie didn’t even know if it was a boy or a girl, how could they be so certain?

Mouch walked forward and placed a hand on Matt’s shoulder, “Captain – you’re a boy dad.”

_“What?”_

“You’ve only ever been a dad to boys.” Cruz explained. “The Darden boys, Louis, Jack and Elliot. The possibility of that trend breaking is _highly_ unlikely.”

“… I’ll take that action.” Sylvie said as everyone smirked.

 _“Sylvie!”_ Matt exclaimed. “You cannot encourage this.”

“Oh come on babe – you _are_ a boy dad.” Sylvie agreed.

“It doesn’t work like that.” Matt said through his teeth. It wasn’t that he wouldn’t be thrilled with another little boy, it was that this whole thing was ridiculous! He could be a girl dad if he wanted to be.

“Casey’s right, it’s like the sperm lottery.” Stella added.

“Not in this case.” Sylvie said as she took the pen from Hermann and wrote her predictions up. “We’re going to have our hands full with three boys. Boy, 8lbs 4oz, born 14th March.”

Matt contemplated for a moment. He really didn’t like the idea of betting on his baby, but it was also an opportunity to prove them all wrong. He stepped forward and took the pen from his wife, writing up his own predictions. “Girl, 7lbs 8oz, born 6th March.” He said before reaching into his pocket and throwing $20 in the boot. “Easiest $200 I’m going to make.”

Hermann smirked, “That’s the spirit captain! But you’re totally wrong.”

Matt rolled his eyes, “I can be a girl dad.”

Severide laughed, “My god you will be out of your depth.” He joked as Matt punched him in the arm.

“Stop selling him short” Sylvie insisted. “He’ll be the best girl dad because he already _is_ the best dad.” She said as she winked at him. Everyone then made fake gagging sounds and groans at this sickly-sweet moment.

The joke was on them though – Matt was bang on with his predictions. Annie was born weighing 7lbs and 8oz on the 6th March – and he was the best girl dad his daughter could have wished for. 


	39. Prom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Annie has a problem the day before prom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 40?! I did not anticipate this going on for so long - but I am having so much fun writing these little random snippets of Casey family life and I hope you enjoy reading them!
> 
> Annie is heading to prom in this chapter... enjoy!

**Prom**

Matt was walking through the hallways of 51 when Sylvie came bounding through the doors looking a little distressed.

“Wow, what’s up?” he asked immediately.

“Annie called me while I was out on that call. She left a voicemail, she sounded really upset.” Sylvie said with a frown.

“Ring her back” Matt rationally suggested.

Sylvie sighed, “I tried but she’s not picking up.”

“Ok” Matt said as he gently rubbed his wife’s arms, “Let’s not jump to conclusions. She’s a teenage girl and she does have a flare for the dramatic...” he reminded her. Knowing Annie, it wasn’t anything major. She could sometimes get a little worked up over little things. He also didn’t really want to let his mind go to the prospect that she was really hurt. He was in chief mode rather than father mode and was trying to assess the situation at hand.

“I’m a mother it’s my job to worry.”

“I know…” he said with a sympathetic smile. “What was she supposed to be doing today anyway?”

“She and Jessica went to the mall to pick up some last-minute things for prom tomorrow.” Sylvie explained.

Matt smirked, “So it’s probably a dress crisis” he concluded. “Look, we’ll both keep trying to call her, we’ll ask the boys if they’ve heard from her, it’s going to be ok.” Matt told his wife as she gratefully nodded her head before turning back onto the apparatus floor to restock following their call.

As soon as she got out onto the floor, she went to dial Annie again, but before she could hit call, a voice appeared at the doors.

_“Mom!”_

Sylvie’s head shot up and saw Annie storming towards her, sunglasses covering her face.

“Annie, thank _god_. What’s wrong?” Sylvie asked as she walked towards her daughter. She watched as Annie’s lip quivered before she started sobbing.

“It’s a _disaster!_ ” Annie exclaimed dramatically as Sylvie’s eyes widened in concern.

“What is?” Sylvie asked again as Annie removed her sunglasses to reveal a large bruise covering her cheekbone. “ _Oh my god_ … baby, what happened?” she asked as she sat Annie down on the back of the ambo.

“Francis Gritter called Jess a slut when he saw some of the clothes she was picking out at the mall so she went to punch him and he ducked and she got me instead!” she exclaimed through her tears as Sylvie handed her some water and gently rubbed her back in an attempt to calm her down.

“Oh honey…” she sympathised as she began to check for signs of concussion. As far as she could tell, it just looked like Annie would have a hefty bruise.

“Prom is tomorrow night mom, what the hell am I going to do?! I _cannot_ go to prom looking like I’ve gone 5 rounds with Mike Tyson! _”_

“It’s ok, we’ll get it covered, you won’t be able to see it—”

“No amount of make up can cover this, it’s a _mess!_ ” she shouted back.

“Ok Annie, you need to take a breath. When you’re in a difficult situation what is the first thing you need to remember?”

“A calm head leads to the best outcomes.” Annie replied with a sigh. She and the twins had had that drilled into them from _no_ age. They figured it came with the territory of being the kids of first responders.

“Exactly, so you need to take a breath—”

Before Sylvie could outline her plan of action, the bells went off calling ambo 61 to attend to a distressed person.

“I gotta go baby, go inside, dad’s in there—” Sylvie said as she pulled Annie up and closed the ambo doors.

Annie shook her head, “No mom, he’s going to go ballistic when he sees this!”

“Annie, you can’t exactly hide a black eye from him. He’ll know what to do, don’t worry!” Sylvie insisted. Annie was right though; Matt would be _livid_ when he saw what had happened – accident or not.

Annie watched Sylvie go, right until the ambo was out of sight. She pursed her lips as she looked towards the lounge. She really didn’t want to go in there. As much as she loved her 51 family, it often felt like she had 10 sets of parents. She sighed, turned and walked towards the door. It was probably just best to bite the bullet. Besides – she needed all the help she could get in dealing with this.

As she walked through the doors, most of 51 were in the lounge. As soon as they saw Annie their faces lit up.

“Hey – _oh.”_ They began as multiple hisses were heard throughout the lounge as they took in Annie’s black eye.

Annie rolled her eyes, “Yes, I have a black eye and yes – you should most _definitely_ see the other guy. Has anyone seen dad?”

“Coming up behind you” Cruz said with a nod as everyone ducked their heads, knowing Casey was about to lose his cool.

“Annie, there you are. We’ve been trying to call you all morning—”

“Dad, don’t freak out.” Annie said as she held her hands up, her back still to him.

Matt crossed his arms over his chest, “About what?”

Annie slowly turned around and watched as Matt’s face fell from confused to concerned in a flash.

“Annie, what the hell happened?” he asked as he rushed forward to inspect her eye. He moved her blonde curls behind her ear and tilted her head to get a good look at the bruise.

“Apparently we should see the other guy!” Ritter commented with a laugh.

Annie furrowed her brows, “I wasn’t kidding” she said as Ritter looked at her, entirely surprised.

Severide laughed, “Ritter, you really think Annie Casey wouldn’t give as good as she got?”

Annie scoffed and smirked at Severide, “Trust me – Francis Gritter got _exactly_ what he deserved.”

“A guy punched you in the face?” Matt demanded to know. Who the hell did this guy think he was assaulting his daughter?!

Annie shook her head, “No, Jess did.”

 _“… what?”_ Matt asked after pausing for a moment.

“Total accident, she was aiming for Gritter because he called her a slut – which is totally _ridiculous,_ who the hell does he think he is? We’re not living in 2010, that insult is _ancient._ ” she said with an eye roll.

Cruz gulped and turned to Severide, “2010 really wasn’t that long ago… right?”

“Anyway – Jess rightfully swung for him and got me instead and then Gritter thought this was _hysterical_ so I clocked him.”

Matt raised his eyebrows. He knew he shouldn’t be condoning his kids hitting anybody – but he was kind of proud of Annie for this one.

“Sounds like a total jerk.” Matt commented. His anger subsided slightly when he heard that his daughter had handled the situation – he should never have doubted that she couldn’t.

“Oh he is daddy, but I couldn’t care _less_ about him right now – prom is tomorrow and my eye is _horrible._ What the hell am I going to do?! I can _not_ go out looking like this. Prom is supposed to be the highlight of a teenager’s high school career, the photos will be _ruined_ with me in them.” Annie said dramatically. Matt couldn’t help but snigger. Annie was the oddest balance of tough girl and girly girl – one minute she was punching boys in the face, the next she was complaining about not looking good at prom.

“Well how about we get some ice on your eye for starters.” Matt suggested as he nodded at Gallo who went to the freezer. “Take a seat, I’ll go find Stella and she can get started on covering it up before mom gets back.” Matt calmly suggested. He was a little out of his depth on this one. This definitely required a feminine touch.

“Ok” she grumbled before sitting down on the couch. As soon as Matt left the room, Cruz, Gallo and Ritter were on Annie like hawks.

“So Annie…” Gallo began. “Rumour has it that you are attending prom with none other than Robbie Halstead.”

“Oh my god…” Annie said with an eyeroll. “You guys are such gossip rags, has your day really been that boring that this is what is exciting you?”

“Are we not allowed to be invested in the lives of 51’s youngest and brightest?” Ritter enquired.

“So tell us – what’s the deal?” Cruz asked.

Annie looked around her before leaning forward, “Ok, so this goes _no_ further. I mean it, my parents _cannot_ find out about this.” She said seriously as they all nodded furiously. “… we’re in love. So madly in love and we just want forever to start now, you know? So, before prom, we’re going to city hall – and we’re going to get _married_. We know our parents would never approve but we just have to.”

“Oh my _god._ ” Gallo muttered.

“Yeah. It’s insane. But love knows no bounds you guys… and neither does your gullibility.” Annie remarked as they all groaned and walked away. Annie and Robbie were going to prom as friends. They still hadn’t managed to break out of that zone. As _if_ Annie would want to get married anytime soon.

“That’s real funny Annie.” Cruz noted. “You sent my heart rate through the roof!”

Annie started to laugh, “I cannot believe you actually thought that was true, what the hell is wrong with you?! I am so going to tell Brianna to try that one on you sometime.” She said, commenting on Cruz’s daughter.

“Bri would never.” Cruz said with a gulp.

Annie shrugged, “I don’t know, she and Grant Matthews were looking pretty cosy the other night at Sarah Aston’s party…” she teased.

“You’re not funny Casey.” Cruz warned just as Matt and Stella came back into the room.

“Damn Annie, that is quite the shiner.” Stella commented.

“I know. Can you fix me?” she asked with a pout.

“Say no more. Come on.” Stella said as she grabbed her hand and pulled her away. “Your mom and Mackey are on their way back, somebody else took their call, so you’ll be triple teamed soon.”

Annie smiled gratefully, “Awesome.”

* * *

The night of prom rolled around and Matt, Severide, Jack and Elliot were all sitting in the living room waiting for Annie to appear. Stella, Sylvie and Gianna had managed to cover her purple bruise yesterday and had spent all afternoon trying to replicate what they’d done. Thankfully, they’d only heard Annie moan once in frustration.

“Have you got the tequila on standby?” Severide asked, knowing that the women in their lives were going to need a heavy dose of it to calm themselves after a stressful few days.

“Oh yeah.” Matt replied as he took a drink from his own beer. 

“Ok” Stella announced as she came into the room. “Now on a normal day with her bright blue eyes and blonde locks, Annie looks like an angel, but today – she is like _chief_ angel. So prepare yourselves.” She said with a little smile. She stepped aside and allowed Sylvie and Gianna to come into the room before Annie walked in.

She was _radiant._ Her pale blue dress floated delicately around her and made her blue eyes pop. Her hair was curled and pulled back with a few strands forming around her face. Her makeup was so immaculately done – nobody could tell there was a bruise under there.

Everyone in the room smiled widely at Annie who beamed back at them in return.

“What do you think?” she asked as she looked anxiously around the room at the most important people in her life.

Matt stepped forward and took another look at his daughter. He couldn’t quite believe that they were here. His daughter, his _baby_ was standing in front of him looking so grown-up. It only seemed like yesterday she was running around the house after her brothers, her infectious giggles filling the air and her blonde ringlets bouncing down her back.

“You look so beautiful.” Matt finally told her with a gulp as he tried to control his emotions. Sylvie wasn’t so composed. The tears were streaming down her face as Elliot smirked and wrapped an arm around his mom.

"Thanks daddy" she said quietly as she hugged him.

“You look amazing Ann” Elliot told her with a small smile.

“Total knock out” Jack added.

Annie quirked an eyebrow, “Is that some sort of black eye jab?” she queried.

Jack scoffed, “Unintentionally, but yeah that was a good one, wasn’t it?” he said proudly as Annie playfully rolled her eyes.

Annie turned back to Matt who hadn’t taken his eyes off her since she walked into the room. “You really can’t see the bruise?” she asked.

Matt shook his head, “Not at all.” He assured her.

“I take comfort knowing that Francis Gritter is going to walk in looking a _lot_ worse than me.” Annie said with a smug smile.

The doorbell then went as Annie perked up, “Oh, that’ll be Robbie. He was _hysterically_ laughing when I showed him my eye yesterday, so the joke is most definitely going to be on him when he sees it now.” She said before leaving the room to answer the door.

Everyone raised their eyebrows and looked at each other.

“When are they going to get their heads out of the asses and get together?” Jack questioned. “It’s getting annoying.”

Sylvie smiled, “The best things in life are worth the wait.” She said with a little wink in Matt's direction - they were prime examples of that.

* * *

That night, Matt was sitting in bed reading when his phone buzzed on his bedside cabinet. He lifted it and saw that he had a text from Annie.

_Having the best time – I love you!_

Matt smiled at the message. He appreciated Annie letting them know she was ok amid the fun she was be having. He set his phone down just as Sylvie came into the room.

“Did you get Annie’s text?” she asked with a smile as she climbed into bed next to him.

“Yeah, I did.” He replied as he set his book down and allowed Sylvie to snuggle into his chest. “I can’t believe our last baby is at her senior prom.”

Sylvie chuckled, “Does that make you break out in a nervous sweat because you’re finally realising you’re _old?”_ she joked.

“Watch it…” he playfully warned as he held her a little bit tighter. “It just makes me realise how much I miss the boys when they’re not here and how much I’ll miss Annie when she goes too.” He commented. The house was certainly a lot quieter when the boys were at college and it was something Matt had never really gotten used to. In only a few short months the house would be even quieter, and he wasn’t sure he was ready for it.

“I know it’s strange, but it’s just another phase of life. It doesn’t mean we stop being a family or we stop making memories. They’ll just be of a different kind.” Sylvie told him.

“Yeah, you’re right.” He agreed. “You know – Annie looked so like you tonight.”

Sylvie smiled, “You think?”

“Yeah. Just so, so beautiful.” Matt said as he looked down at his wife in awe. Everyday she got more and more beautiful in his eyes. “I love you” he told her quietly.

“I love you too” she replied as he kissed her lightly before holding her even tighter, feeling incredibly thankful for the life they had built together.


	40. Sunday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all your chapter suggestions in the comments! I have a long list now... but if you have anymore little snippets of this world you would like to see, do let me know.
> 
> For now, there is a new and unexpected addition to the Casey household... enjoy!

**Sunday**

“Look who it is!” Hermann announced happily as Jack, Elliot and Annie came running into the lounge ahead of their parents.

“Hi Uncle Hermann” Elliot greeted before they waved at the others.

“What brings the little Caseys by today?” Hermann asked as Jack ran into the kitchen to see what Cruz was cooking up for breakfast.

“Joanna was in a car accident this morning.” Matt said of their nanny as he and Sylvie walked in. “She’s fine but she can’t look after these monsters today” Matt said as he ran his hand over Annie’s ponytail and looked down at his three-year old.

Annie pouted, “Daddy I’m not a monster, I’m a princess.” She clarified.

Matt sniggered, “Very true.”

“Christie is going to take them but she’s not free until after dinner” Sylvie added as Elliot ran over to see Tuesday who was lying on the couch beside Mouch.

“Well I hear 51 provides some excellent day care facilities” Boden joked as he walked into the lounge.

“We’re really sorry about this chief—” Matt began, but Boden cut him off.

“Nothing to be sorry for, any Casey is welcome here, day or night.” Boden insisted. He knew they were good kids and wouldn’t cause any trouble. He also knew they would provide the firefighters of 51 with some welcomed entertainment. “Ok everyone” Boden announced to the room. “I’m sure you’ll make sure our littlest recruits are made to feel right at home.” He said as everyone willingly nodded. “Casey, Severide, can I see you in my office?”

“Sure thing chief” Severide replied and Matt nodded.

As Boden left the lounge, Jack called for Matt from the kitchen, “Dad, can we sit in the truck when you’re done?” he asked eagerly as Elliot and Annie also looked up at him with hopeful eyes.

“I’m sure we could make that happen” he teased as they smiled widely.

Matt and Severide soon left the lounge and Cruz called for everyone to come get their breakfast.

“Let’s get you some pancakes Princess Annie” Sylvie said as Annie took her hand with a giggle.

“Mom?” Elliot called as Sylvie turned back to look at her son.

“Yeah bud?”

“Do you think Tuesday is looking a little… _fat?”_ Elliot asked with a confused look on his face.

Sylvie frowned and walked towards Elliot who had his hand on Tuesday’s protruding belly.

“Elliot’s right Ritter – what have you been feeding her?” Sylvie asked as Ritter walked over.

“Whatever’s in the fridge” Ritter said with a shrug. “Come to think of it, she has been eating a lot lately and she’s been pretty lazy.” He added.

Jack gasped as everyone turned around and looked at him, “… _puppies._ ” He said in a whisper as everyone’s eyes widened.

“Oh no… no, no, no, no, no!” Ritter exclaimed as he moved around the couch and bent in front of his dog.

“Yes, yes, yes, yes, _yes_!” Annie countered. “Puppies are _so_ cute Ritter!” she said excitedly as she gently patted Tuesday’s head.

“I gotta get her to the vet. How did I not work this out?!” Ritter said as he ran a hand over his head. “I just assumed I wasn’t feeding her enough.”

“Uh… I think it’s a little late for the vet Ritter.” Gallo said with a gulp as he looked at Tuesday. “There is most definitely a puppy coming out of there…” he said pointing at the rear end of Tuesday.

Elliot moved his head down slightly to get a look at the puppy sack. His eyes widened in amazement, “Jack, you gotta come see this!” he exclaimed as his brother came running from the kitchen.

 _“Wow…”_ Jack said as he looked at it. “But also – _gross_.” He added as he screwed up his face.

“Get the dog off the couch before it destroys it!” Mouch exclaimed as Sylvie pulled her kids out of the way and allowed Gallo and Ritter to move the dog down to her bed.

“What the hell do we do?!” Ritter asked, completely panicked by this situation.

“We get some towels and some water and get ready to deliver some puppies.” Stella said as she rolled up her sleeves. “This is going to get messy.”

A little while later, Matt was walking towards his quarters when Jack and Elliot came running into the bunk room.

“Dad, dad, come on, you’ve gotta see this!” Elliot said excitedly as Jack reached him first, grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the door.

“What’s going on?” he asked as he nodded through the window at Severide to come and join him.

They soon made it to the lounge door and Matt’s eyebrows furrowed in further confusions as he saw his wife and daughter bent over Tuesday while she lay in her dog bed.

“Tuesday just had 6 puppies!” Elliot told him as Sylvie stepped aside to allow Matt and Severide to see.

“… wow.” Severide mumbled. This was quite the Saturday morning, huh?

“Daddy, Ritter let us name them” Annie said happily as she looked up at her dad.

“Oh yeah? What did you call them?”

“This is Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday!” Annie announced with a little giggle as she pointed to each of the puppies. Matt let out a breathy laugh. Of course that's what they went for. "I wanted to name them Ana, Elsa, Belle, Rapunzel, Ariel and Tiana..." Annie grumbled. It appeared that princess fever hit Annie almost as hard as it hit Sylvie 30 odd years ago. "But Jack and Elliot said no..."

"They can be their middle names sweetie" Sylvie reasoned as Annie nodded with a smile.

“Mom, dad.” Elliot said seriously. “We’ve been talking.”

Sylvie raised her eyebrows as everyone turned to look at the twins. “About what?”

“We think it would be best… if we took a puppy home with us.” Jack said with a nodded of certainty. “Preferably Sunday because that’s out favourite day of the week.” He added.

"Sunday _Tiana_." Annie said, clarifying the puppy's name.

Matt scoffed; _“No.”_

“Oh come on dad!” Elliot whined. “Look how _cute_ she is.” He reasoned as he and Jack joined their sister by the dog bed. “She needs a home and we could look after her and feed her and take her for walks!”

“And cuddle her.” Annie said sweetly. “She’d be our very own fire dog!”

“We don’t live in a firehouse Ann and you would only want to play with her – mom and I would end up doing all the dirty work.” Matt told them. They really couldn’t look after a dog right now – their house was crazy enough as it was. “Right honey?” he asked, turning to Sylvie. His face fell when he saw the soft look on his wife’s face. _“Sylvie—”_

“Oh Matt come on, look at them!” she said as she motioned to her kids who were looking at their parents hopefully. The rest of 51 were also watching, waiting to see how this went down. Most of the time their bright blue eyes got them whatever they wanted, so they had a fairly good idea of what was about to happen. “A dog would be the perfect addition to this brood… and Sunday is so sweet.” She said with a pout.

“You… are the biggest softy.” Matt teased. It often worked out this way. Matt was the voice of sensible reason while Sylvie succumbed to their cute little faces.

“You would love that puppy more than the rest of us. Fact.” Sylvie challenged. She may have been soft, but Matt wasn’t exactly stone cold.

“You could cuddle her too daddy” Annie told him.

“I’ll cuddle my human babies thank you very much…”

“We’re not going to be little kids forever dad!” Jack said.

Matt grimaced, “Don’t remind me…” He really didn’t like to think about his babies growing up. A part of him wished they could just stay little forever.

“But Sunday – she’ll always be soft.” Elliot added.

“And she’ll never leave you to go to college” Hermann interjected as Matt sent a glare in his direction.

Everyone stared at Matt hopefully, waiting for his reply. He looked between his wife and his kids before letting out a sigh. “… I guess Sunday is coming home with us.”

The little Caseys cheered as they ran to hug their dad who couldn’t help but smile. And Sylvie was absolutely right – Matt ended up loving Sunday more than any of them. Though he certainly would never admit it…


	41. Lean on Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all your awesome comments and chapter suggestions from yesterday! I've compiled a pretty neat list of things to write about...
> 
> I've been wanting to write a little more of Matt and Sylvie pre-kids for a while now, so I'm finally getting round to it now! 
> 
> Matt and Sylvie have been together for around 5 months in this chapter. I hope you enjoy!

**Lean on Me**

It was a Thursday afternoon and 51’s shift had been a relatively quiet one. They were called to deal with a minor car accident on the I90 and ambo were called out to a residential call a couple of hours ago, but other than that, their day was filled with drills and restocking and of course – paperwork.

Matt was doing inventory on truck when ambo finally pulled back into the station. He looked at his watch and realised they’d been gone for quite a while. His stomach instantly dropped, and he could only assume that the call had gone sideways.

“Casey” he heard behind him as Boden walked over.

“What’s up chief?” he asked as he set his clipboard down.

“Brett and Foster had a particularly nasty call. A woman and her ex-partner got into a fight in which he brought a gun. He pulled the trigger to shoot the woman – got the woman’s kid instead. Brett tried to stop the bleeding but there was nothing they could do. The boy died on route to Med.” Boden explained as Matt nodded solemnly, almost in disbelief that something so senseless could happen to someone so young.

He turned around and watched as Sylvie got out of the ambulance. She had the saddest look on her face. The last time he saw her like this was around 5 months ago, just after Julie had died. She’d cried and cried and cried in his arms and he felt her pain like it was his own. He didn’t doubt that now would be the same.

Sylvie stuck her hands in her pockets, and she walked a little behind Foster and over to Casey and Boden who had since been joined by Severide, Cruz and Hermann.

“Are you two alright?” Boden asked as Casey's eyes remained firmly on Brett.

Foster nodded, “Yeah. It was a rough one, but we’re ok.”

“I’m taking you out of service for the time being—” Boden began, but Sylvie cut him off.

“It’s ok, we’re good to go Chief. Really.” Sylvie insisted.

Matt wasn’t so convinced by Sylvie’s response. He had learnt to read her like a map over the past few years and he could see the sadness in her eyes. He could see she was about to break.

“Ok. If you change your mind just let me know.” Boden responded as Brett and Foster walked inside. Boden turned to his officers. “Keep an eye on them. If you don’t think they’re fit to go out, you let me know.”

“You got it Chief” Hermann replied as Matt absentmindedly nodded. 

Matt decided to give Sylvie a little bit of space before he went to check on her. He didn’t want to be overbearing, but he also knew she’d probably want to cry, and he wanted to be there to hold her when she did. He finished his inventory and went into the lounge, only to find that Sylvie wasn’t there.

“Has anybody seen Brett?” he asked as 51 all shook their heads. He furrowed his brow and began to walk through the house in search of her. She wasn’t in the locker room, the laundry room, the bathroom or the bunkroom, which left only one place – his quarters. He looked towards the window and smiled softly when he saw her silhouette behind the frosted glass. He liked that she knew it was a safe space for whenever she may need it.

He got to the door and slowly opened it. She looked up at him from the bunk, tears glistening in her eyes. He shut the door and closed the blinds to give her some privacy.

“He was 7 years old Matt. He was a little kid and his life was just gone in an instant.” She said quietly as he sat down on the bunk beside her. “How is that fair?” It was moments like this she wondered whether she was right to take her heart out on the job with her. At the same time, however, not feeling wasn't being human, and she never wanted to be in a job that was devoid of humanity. 

Matt ran his hand down her hair and down her back, “It’s not.” He wished he had an answer for her, but he really didn’t. _Nobody_ did. Life was cruel and that was a reality they had to face – especially on this job. He pulled her into his arms and held her just like he had 5 months ago.

“We’re going to have tough calls Sylvie. It’s the nature of the job and we’re not going to be able to save everyone. We just have to remember that we’re not alone when we’re dealing with the pain of it all. You have a whole firehouse in your corner. You have _me._ Now and always.” He told her as he tried to contain his own emotions over how upset she was.

Sylvie lifted her head and looked at him with a gulp, “Do you remember that call I had a couple of years back? The woman who was stabbed in the chest by her drugged-up neighbour.”

Matt nodded, “Yeah, I remember.” He also remembered that she had dealt with it _alone_. She cried in her car, she had nightmares – and the thought broke his heart that little bit more.

“I dealt with it alone. I cried in my car, I had nightmares – I did anything but talk to someone.” She said, saying exactly what he was thinking. “Back then I thought that was how I would always have to deal with my pain. _Alone._ ”

“I remember you telling me to speak to someone after the shooting incident.” He reminded her. He’d essentially thrown her offer back in her face, which he came to regret. If it wasn’t for her advice, he might never have spoken to Boden about it.

Sylvie gave him a small smile and a nod as he continued to comfortingly rub her back, “I was pretty good at warning others and being available for others if they needed someone. I just never anticipated that I would ever have that in return. That I would ever have my person to lean on and fight in my corner through anything and everything.” She said as she looked at him lovingly. She never expected to love Matt Casey as much as she did. She never expected him to be the one.

“I will always fight in your corner Sylvie Brett.” Matt assured her.

Sylvie smiled a little bit wider, “I know. I’m a firm believer that the best things in live come when you least expect it.”

Matt nodded and let out a little laugh, “I agree.” He hadn’t expected to love Sylvie as much as he did either. He had never expected that the right person for him was standing in front of him all this time.

Sylvie tilted her head as Matt closed the distance between them and kissed her sweetly and slowly.

_“Casey”_ they heard at the door followed by a knock. “OFI are here to talk about the arson case from last week” Severide said through the door.

Matt sighed as Sylvie let out a little laugh.

“To be continued” he said as he gave her another quick kiss. “Can I get you anything?” he offered.

Sylvie shook her head, “No. I feel better already.” She told him. Five minutes with the person you loved most in this world could work wonders.

“Good. I’ll see you in a little bit” he said as he reluctantly moved away from her, holding on to her hand until the last possible second before he left the room.

* * *

The following morning, Matt and Sylvie were leaving the firehouse after a night with no calls. They were grateful – the day had been emotionally exhausting, and Sylvie slept unusually well in her creaky bunk.

“I have to go to a construction job, I’m not sure how long it’s going to take, but I’ll come by after.” Matt told his girlfriend. Since Foster and Cruz had moved out, Sylvie had temporarily moved into Hermann’s apartment until she found a space for herself.

“Don’t worry, I’ll probably collapse as soon as I get home. I won’t be much company.” She told him quietly.

Matt eyed her curiously. While she seemed a little more upbeat than she was yesterday, there was still a real sadness in her eyes.

“I’ll call you later” she said, snapping him out of his stare. She quickly kissed him before walking away to her car, leaving Matt standing on his own, thinking. This didn’t feel right. He didn’t feel right leaving her to go home alone.

Matt smiled softly to himself. She didn’t have to go home alone. Not anymore. He lifted out his phone and rescheduled his construction jobs – some things in life were just too important.

* * *

A short while later, Sylvie was standing in front of the mirror, pulling her hair back into a ponytail. She had expected to come home and just burst into tears at the silence surrounding her – but she didn’t. She felt an overwhelming sense of peace surging through her. Yes, she was desperately sad about what happened, but she knew that that sadness wasn’t something she had to go through alone, and it was so comforting. She’d finally found someone who was her true partner in life.

She was about to turn around, climb into bed and put on a trashy film when there was a little knock on the door. She figured it was Cindy bringing up some sugary snacks in an attempt to comfort her. As she opened the door, she was surprised by who she saw on the other side.

“Did you know that Graham’s Waffle House has just introduced deluxe Belgian chocolate waffles to their menu?”

Sylvie quirked her eyebrows, “No, I did not…”

“Even better – you can now get them to go.” He said as he held up a paper bag.

Sylvie leaned forward and looked into the bag to see two cartoons and a couple of drinks.

“… do they have white chocolate and strawberries on them?” she asked curiously.

“You bet your ass they do.” he replied with a lopsided smirk. 

_“Matt…_ ” Sylvie began with a smile and a head shake. “You didn’t have to do this. I’m fine.”

Matt nodded, “I know you are. I just don’t think you should be 'fine' on your own.” He replied.

“But your job—”

“Some things in life are a heck of a lot more important.” he interrupted.

“Like deluxe Belgian chocolate waffles?” she teased.

Matt smirked, _“Exactly._ And also spending time with the person I love most in this world.”

Sylvie smiled, “I love you” she said quietly with a deep sincerity to her voice. She wished there was more she could say to express just how much she loved him, but by the look in his eyes - he knew.

“I love you too” he responded as Sylvie pulled him into the apartment with a grin, feeling incredibly grateful that she always had him to lean on.


	42. Little Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 3 little things that made Matt Casey fall in love with Sylvie Brett that little bit more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Three different snippets in one chapter!  
> The first one is set in their first year together.  
> The second one is set when Sylvie is pregnant with Jack and Elliot.  
> The third one is set when Jack and Elliot are a few months old (check out chapter 3 again for a little more insight on Casey and Brett's difficulties with getting their boys to sleep...)
> 
> Enjoy!

**Little Things**

“Hey, does anyone want a coffee while I’m over here?” Cruz asked one afternoon as he walked into the lounge.

“Oh, I’ll take one” Sylvie asked as she sat between Stella and Matt at the table as the both filled in some incident reports.

Stella screwed up her face, “Don’t pour her a whole cup.”

Sylvie frowned and turned to look at her friend, “Why not?”

“You never finish a whole cup when someone makes you a coffee. It’s a total waste!” Stella reasoned. “You never even finish coffee _you_ make for yourself.”

“She’s totally right.” Emily said. “I made you a hot cocoa last week and you drank half of it.”

“Hm, it used to drive me a little crazy when we lived together, and you’d pour yourself a whole glass of OJ and drink ¾ of it.” Cruz added.  
  
“And you rarely finish a cocktail at Molly’s” Hermann threw in.

“Sylvie does finish her drinks.” Matt interjected as everyone looked at him sceptically. “You finished the cup of coffee I made you this morning.” he reasoned. This conversation was definitely bordering on bizarre, but these guys were totally wrong - anything he made for her she drank.

Severide then walked into the room, “Yeah you always finish those weird smoothies Casey makes when you guys came in from a run” he backed up.

Stella quirked an eyebrow, “Do you mean my kale, mango and ginger smoothies?” she asked. She’d given Casey the recipe a while back. She’d also made it for Brett a few times – and quickly learned that her friend wasn’t a fan. She barely drank half. “You never finished those when I made them for you.”

“Ok, I _just_ wanted some coffee. Do we really have to analyse my drinking habits?” Sylvie asked.

Foster smirked, “Sounds to me like this isn’t an issue of not liking what you’re drinking. It's about _who_ makes them.”

Matt looked between everyone, entirely confused by what Foster was getting at. Before he could ask, the bells went off, requesting all units to multi vehicle pileup. As they were walking out the door, Matt quickly reached for Sylvie’s arm, turning her attention to him as they walked.

“Do you really only ever finish drinks I make you?”

Sylvie shrugged and grinned, “They just taste better when you make them.”

It was the simplest thing in the world. Sylvie Brett was notorious for not finishing a drink – but not when her boyfriend made them for her. They tasted better, so she finished them, but only because they were made by the man she loved.

Matt didn’t know why – but he think he fell in love with her a little bit more in that moment. He also knew in that moment to never take the little things in life for granted.

* * *

Matt was exhausted. He’d spent all day on a construction job and he just wanted to collapse and try and get some rest before shift tomorrow. He also felt spectacularly guilty. He’d promised Sylvie they could have a date night tonight and then he had to bail. They had 4 whole months before their twins were born, but Sylvie was panicked that when they arrived, they wouldn’t be able to find time for each other. So, she was determined to get in as many dates as they could. Tonight was supposed to be the first night of those, but their plans were derailed by this monstrous job.

He walked through the front door at around 10pm and threw his keys on the table by the door before walking into the kitchen. He smiled when he saw a note on the fridge door.

_Dinner is in the fridge, I wasn’t sure if you’d have a chance to eat. I hope you had a good day x_

He was about to open the fridge to get his dinner, but he suddenly wasn’t all that hungry. He just wanted to see his wife. He turned the remaining lights off and made his way upstairs to see her. He knew she’d be asleep – pregnancy often wiped her out – but just seeing her was enough. Besides, she was adorable when she slept.

He silently stepped in their bedroom and smirked at the scene in front of him. The TV on the cabinet was still on. She had been watching Casablanca, her favourite old film - she was a total _sucker_ for a good romance movie. Sylvie had, however, fallen fast asleep, hugging his pillow tightly between her arms. A bowl of popcorn also dangled dangerously on the edge of the bed.

He swiftly lifted the bowl before Sylvie kicked it over. He then took off his clothes, brushed his teeth and then went to climb in beside her – it only then occurred to him that he was going to need his pillow back. He gently reached out and tried to pull it from her, but she held on that little bit tighter.

“It smelt like you” he heard her mumble as he pulled back for a second.

“What?” he asked with a little laugh.

“I missed you and it smelt like you and since you weren’t here to cuddle in person, it was the next best thing.” She explained, still keeping her eyes closed in her sleepy state.

Matt looked at her in wonder. It truly was the littlest things she did that often made his heart soar the most.

“Well, you can give me my pillow back and I can give you the real thing” he finally replied as she smiled.

“Sounds like a fair deal” she conceded as she set the pillow back and immediately pulled him into the bed.

She snuggled across his chest, her head resting in the crook of his neck, her leg swung over his and her baby bump resting on his hip. His arms in turn were wrapped around her as he kissed her head and closed his eyes.

“You have the most calming affect on me Sylvie Brett.” He mumbled as they began to drift off.

“Right back at you Matt Casey.” She replied as they both succumbed to sleep, but not before Matt felt some little feet kick against his hip. He couldn’t wait to meet their babies and enjoy some more little moments together.

* * *

Since the twins were constantly keeping each other awake with their crying at night, Sylvie and Matt were on a mission. They were _determined_ to get them to sleep at the same time so their crying didn’t keep the other awake. To do so, they had started to nurse them to sleep in separate rooms. It had been working for the past couple of weeks, but they didn’t want to jinx it, so were refusing to say anything positive about it.

Matt was gently rocking Jack to sleep in his and Sylvie’s bedroom. Jack loved having his little nose rubbed. He seemed to find it so soothing, so Matt delicately ran his finger down it and watched as Jack’s eyes fought to stay open but couldn’t. Soon enough, his little baby snores echoed through the room. This was one of Matt’s favourite parts of the day. Just holding his son and loving him in the silence. He didn’t have a lot of stillness in his life, so he treasured every moment of it he could get.

He stood from the rocking chair in the corner of the room and started to make his way to the twins’ bedroom. As he walked down the hallway, he heard a soft sound coming from the room.

_Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high,  
There’s a land that I heard of once in a lullaby…_

It only took him a second to realise that Sylvie was singing to Elliot as she rocked him to sleep. He slowly approached the door and held back to listen to her sing. She had the most beautiful voice and the boys were always mesmerised when they heard her sing.

He watched as Sylvie stood in the middle of the room, gently swaying. Much like Jack liked having his nose rubbed, Elliot liked having his hand rubbed. He was holding tightly onto Sylvie’s index finger as her thumb gently rubbed his little fist. Elliot didn’t look like he was ready to go to sleep, however, as his bright blue eyes were firmly fixed on Sylvie as she sang sweetly to him.

_Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly  
Birds fly over the rainbow, why then, oh why can’t I?_

Elliot yawned and finally closed his eyes as Sylvie finished singing. It was like he was just waiting for the end of the song because he didn’t want to miss it. Sylvie smiled down at her baby before planting the softest kiss on his forehead.

Matt wished he could watch his wife and son in this moment forever. It was so still and so sweet and it reminded him of why he was so in love with Sylvie. She was so loving and the delicate love she showed their boys made his heart beat that little bit faster for her.

Sylvie looked up and finally noticed Matt standing there. Her smile widened immediately, always happy to see her other two favourite men.

“I think you might be an angel.” Matt whispered.

Sylvie let out a breathy laugh as she gazed back down at Elliot, “I just love my little Caseys more than anything” she said as Matt walked further into the room.

“We’re so lucky to have you” he said in wonder. Sometimes, he couldn’t help but stop and think about where he ended up in life. There was a lot of heartbreak and pain and anger – but he wouldn't change one thing about it. Not if it meant changing where he was right now. His heart had never been full of a love like this before.

Matt and Sylvie carefully placed the boys in their cribs and crept out of the room. Matt stopped as Sylvie walked ahead of him towards their bedroom.

“Hey” He whispered as she turned around with a little smile.

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

Sylvie’s smile widened, “I love you too” she replied before walking on into their room.

It was the little things in life that made it all worthwhile. From finished drinks, cuddling pillows and sweet lullabies. Most of all, Matt was thankful for being able to tell his wife that he loved her and to see her bright smile in return – and he was particularly thankful that he could love her for the rest of his life.


	43. Bravery in the Veins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sylvie gets seriously hurt on a call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! This is the first of one of the requests you guys sent me, so I hope you enjoy! 
> 
> I also realised earlier that I made some timeline errors in the story... it occurred to me that Boden would have been longgg retired by the time the kids were teenagers, so I just made a few minor changes to a couple of chapters on that front!
> 
> I've also made it so Matt becomes chief when the twins are around 6... I'm not sure if I'm set on this timeline, but I'm going with it for now :)

**Bravery in the Veins**

“The love birds have returned!” Cruz exclaimed as everyone rushed to greet Brett and Casey as they walked into the lounge. They’d been in Hawaii for their ten year wedding anniversary for the past week and everyone was glad to have them back.

“How was Hawaii?” Stella asked excitedly.

Sylvie grinned, “It was bliss. Actual bliss. I didn’t want to leave” she said with a whine.

“Well, it’s nice to hear that you missed your partner, _partner_.” Mackey teased as she hugged her mentor turned friend.

“As blissful as it was, we missed you all _dearly_.” Sylvie said, with a sense of teasing insincerity in her voice. She really had missed her 51 family, but more than anything, she'd missed her kids. She swore she was never taking a vacation without them again. “What’s for breakfast?” she asked as Stella dragged her away to get some more gossip about their week away.

Matt watched Sylvie as she walked away from him, his heart-shaped eyes not going unnoticed by his best friend.

“Damn, someone might think you’re in love Casey” Severide teased as he nudged his arm and Matt rolled his eyes. “Good week then?”

Matt nodded. “The best.” It was the first time in a long time that Matt felt truly relaxed. He was normally always on the go, but he reached a whole new level of peace on his vacation. The last time he felt so relaxed was on their honeymoon. He was determined to make it a more regular deal and Sylvie certainly wasn’t against it either.

“I cannot imagine you lying on a beach all day. You’d probably find something to fix or a life to save” Cruz commented.

Matt chuckled, “It certainly was unusual for me.” Truth was, while they did spend some time on the beach, they didn’t really leave their private villa too often…

The bells went off, calling Mackey and Brett to a residential call downtown. As they rushed to the door Sylvie smiled at Matt and gave him a subtle wink. Although they weren’t in Hawaii anymore, they were certainly still in a bit of a bubble – and they hoped they could stay there for as long as possible.

* * *

“Paramedics open up” Sylvie said as she banged on the door of the apartment they were called to. There was no response. Mackey shrugged and walked down the stairs to knock on the door of another apartment in the hopes of finding out a little more on who lived here.

Sylvie banged again a little louder and she heard some slow shuffling from behind the door. The door slowly opened to reveal a middle aged man in a dressing gown, looking completely dazed.

Sylvie frowned in concern, “Sir? Did you call for an ambulance?”

The man didn’t reply. Instead, he just stared blankly through her.

“Sir?” Sylvie asked again, but there was nothing. She tried to look over the man’s shoulder to see if anyone else was here. At first glance she saw no one, but then she did a double take and saw a set of legs on the floor, the rest of the person’s body hidden behind a wall.

Sylvie tried to push past the man, but he instinctively blocked her. Mackey came rushing back at that moment, but it was too late. Everything felt like it moved in slow motion in that moment. The man raised his hands and Sylvie saw a pair of hair scissors. Before she could try and break free, he jammed them straight into Sylvie’s chest.

 _“Sylvie!”_ Mackey exclaimed. The man – still in a complete daze – eerily turned around in silence, walked back into the house and sat down on the couch, as if nothing had happened.

Sylvie collapsed in Mackey’s arms as she gently lowered her partner to the floor. Mackey’s breathing became laboured as Sylvie was stunned, her arms shaking, not knowing what to do. Mackey reached for her radio.

“61 to main I need police assistance and a second ambulance, my partner has just been stabbed!” Mackey desperately exclaimed as she wrapped her hands around the wound to try and stop some of the bleeding. She desperately reached for her bag to lift out some gauze. “You’re ok Brett, just stay with me. Stay with me!”

“Mac- Mackey” Sylvie mumbled out with a gulp. “Tell… Casey…”

Mackey shook her head, tears forming in her eyes, _“No_ , no you can tell him whatever is you want to tell him yourself. You’re going to be fine.” She insisted.

Only a few minutes later, the bells of another ambulance and the police could be heard outside, followed by a mad dash up the stairs. Sylvie lost consciousness as soon as she saw two other paramedics above her. She had to let go – no matter how desperately she was trying to hold on.

* * *

Back at 51, Matt has retreated to his office to get started on some paperwork before the first bells for truck went. It certainly wasn’t a part of the Hawaiian bliss he’d grown accustomed to, but since he had been appointed chief following Boden’s retirement, he grew to accept that pushing paper was a part of leadership he had to endure. His attention was drawn from his desk by a light knock at his door. When he looked up, his assistant Mya had already opened it and stepped into the room. Her face was solemn. Matt’s heart started to beat a little faster. Something had happened. _What_ had happened?

Matt gulped, “What’s wrong?”

“There’s been an accident.” Mya said. “Mackey and Brett attended to a call downtown. There was a man there who was a dazed state and he uh—”

“What? What happened?” Matt asked as he stood from his chair.

“He stabbed Brett in the chest with a pair of scissors.” Mya finished quickly. She couldn’t believe she was having to tell Casey that his wife had been stabbed, ruining their ten-year bliss.

Matt didn’t say anything. Instead, he grabbed his jacket and bolted out of the bunk room. His mind was _racing_. How serious was it? Would she be ok? How the _hell_ was he going to tell the kids? Although their week away had been great, they missed their little Caseys terribly and they missed their parents just as much. Sylvie and Matt had promised to take them to a whole bunch of cool and exciting places before school started back – but now they couldn’t. Now Sylvie was in hospital and the thought of telling his kids broke his heart. He was immediately transported back to the time he was stabbed with the pole. He now fully understood what Sylvie went through.

“Wow, Casey” Severide said as Matt barged past him. “What’s going on?!” he shouted, but Matt ignored him. His blinkers were on and his only thought was getting to the hospital.

Severide turned around and looked at Mya. In that moment, he knew from the look on his face that something had happened to Brett. There was no other reason for Matt to act so erratically.

“Take 51 out of service.” Severide told Mya who immediately nodded and lifted the phone.

Severide dashed out the door and rounded up everyone at 51 – Brett and Casey needed their family right now.

* * *

Matt burst through the doors of Chicago Med. His heart was beating so fast against his chest. The fear that consumed him was almost unbearable. It paralysed him and he couldn’t even go to reception and ask where she was. He was frozen on the spot, he felt completely useless and vulnerable and broken.

“Casey” he heard beside him. He turned his head and saw Mackey walking towards him. Her hands were covered in blood – Sylvie’s blood. “They just took her into surgery.” She explained. She couldn’t tell him anymore than that because she didn’t know anymore than that. Casey was only about 5 minutes behind their arrival. “Why don’t you take a seat?” she suggested, seeing that he looked a little shaky.

“I – I can’t lose her Mackey.” He said in a whisper as his eyes clouded with tears. 12 years together just wasn’t enough. They had promised each other a lifetime of memories and he wasn’t going to settle for anything less.

Mackey didn’t really know what to say. Casey was never a publicly emotional man and he certainly didn’t get emotional in front of his 51 family.

“Brett is the strongest person I know. She’s been through hell and back – she’ll get through this too.” she said confidently.

Before anything else could be said, the door opened and the rest of 51 appeared. He couldn’t find the words to express how grateful he was that they were here, but he knew he didn’t have to. There was nowhere else they could be right now. 51 _always_ showed up for each other.

* * *

A little over an hour had passed and Matt was losing his mind. He hadn’t heard anything. Not even an update. His mind was moving to the worst-case scenario, but he knew that wasn’t productive. His attention was drawn from his mindless thoughts when two police officers walked into the waiting area.

“Gianna Mackey?” they asked as Mackey shot up and walked over to them.

“That’s me”

“I’m Officer Moody this is Officer Denton, we have a few questions for you about the stabbing incident.” Moody said solemnly.

“Uh – can’t it wait? I would like to make sure that my partner is ok—”

“We’d like to get a jump on this so any information about what went down is essential.” Denton added.

“Ok… what do you want to know?”

“Can you talk us through what happened from the moment you entered the apartment complex?” Moody asked as he lifted out his notebook.

“We knocked on the door, he didn’t answer, I went downstairs to see if I could find anything out about who lived there—”

“So you left your partner on her own?” Moody questioned, a little too aggressively for Mackey's liking. This caught the attention of Matt and Severide who immediately walked over to them. “Can I help you?” Moody immediately challenged.

“Chief Matthew Casey, Captain Kelly Severide” Severide introduced, “If you’re going to interrogate our paramedic, I think it’s best we listen in.”

Moody stood up straighter, “I’m just trying to work out what happened. If Ms Mackey staying with her partner could have changed the outcome—”

“But you can’t know that, can you?” Matt challenged. He may have been emotional, but he was clear headed enough to see that this felt like a witch hunt.

“What happened next?” Denton asked, trying to diffuse the obvious tension that was building.

“Brett kept knocking on the door as far as I’m aware. When I got back up there, Sylvie looked panicked, she rushed forward but the man stopped her and then…” Mackey said, her words dropping off as she gulped. “You know what happened next.”

“I would like to hear it in your words.”

“My partner was stabbed in the chest _ok?”_ Mackey said loudly. She was beyond frustrated with this cop’s line of questioning.

“Because she moved forward without fully assessing the situation?” Moody questioned.

“Are you _seriously_ trying to blame my wife for this? A deranged man stabbed her, and you think it was _her_ fault?” Matt questioned angrily.

“The man was sleepwalking.” Denton informed him. “He’s had the condition for years, often does deranged things. He stabbed his wife and then your wife.”

Matt clenched his jaw, _“That’s not what I asked.”_ He said through his teeth. He was avoiding the issue at hand.

“Sylvie Brett moved forward because it’s her job. We put ourselves in harms way every time we go out because this city deserves nothing but the best from its first responders. She was trying to save someone’s life – that is all you need to know about what she did.” Severide made clear.

Mackey took a step forward and dangerously eyed Officer Moody, “I would think twice before you try turning my partner into a scape goat. It won’t end well for you.”

Moody and Denton looked around the room at all the eyes burring holes through them. Moody closed his notebook and took a step backwards. “Thank you for your time.” He said before he and Denton left the waiting room.

Severide immediately turned to Casey, “Are you ok man?”

“I can’t believe they’re trying to blame her.” Matt said, the anger evident on his face and in his voice.

“They can try all they want to blame Brett, but the only person they’re going to be able to blame in the end is the guy who did this.” Severide made clear. “It’s a waste of time and let them waste their time if that’s what they want to do – it’s pointless and they’ll realise that.”

Matt nodded his head as he tried to calm himself down. Only 2 minutes later, however, Marcel walked through the door with an update on Sylvie.

“Dr. Marcel” Matt said immediately as he rushed towards him.

“She’s ok” he immediately assured Matt as he felt great relief course through him. “The scissors did pierce a ventricle in her heart. Thankfully it was only muscle, no arteries were hit. We need to monitor her closely for the next 48 hours, but I stopped the bleeding and repaired the muscles and I have every confidence that she will be just fine.”

“Thank you. So much.” Matt said as he shook Marcel’s hand gratefully. “Can I see her?”

Marcel nodded, “Of course. She’s still heavily sedated so she might not be totally responsive but come on through.”

Matt took one glance back at his 51 family who gave him encouraging nods before following Marcel through the waiting room and towards the ICU.

His heart broke a little further when he saw Sylvie lying in the hospital bed. Although he knew she was ok, it was still so difficult seeing her like this and knowing she was in pain. He slowly walked into the room, not wanting to disturb her, but also just wanting to hear her voice. He pulled the chair at the side of her bed closer towards it and sat down, taking her hand in his. He kissed it gently and lingeringly as his eyes flooded with tears.

“Don’t worry” he heard Sylvie croak. “I'm still around for an 11th anniversary trip to Hawaii." she joked.

Matt smirked, “You scared the hell out of me.”

Sylvie gave him a weak smile as she opened her eyes, “Now you know how I feel every time you and Severide try to be superheroes.” She joked as Matt held onto her hand that little bit tighter. “The kids?” she asked eagerly, hoping they were ok.

“I texted Joanna. They’re fine, she took them to the park, now they’re back home. Apparently, they want to make us a welcome home breakfast for tomorrow…” he told her.

“If it’s anything like their infamous attempt at breakfast a few years back then I’d say I’m dodging a bullet…” Sylvie grumbled. Truthfully, she would give anything to be eating her kids’ questionable recipes right now.

Matt chuckled, “I think that’s fair enough. I’m going to go home later and see them. Make sure they’re ok, make sure they know you’re ok.”

“I don’t want to worry them” Sylvie said with a gulp.

“I know. Neither do I – but we can’t keep them in the dark.” Matt reasoned as Sylvie nodded. She knew that, but she didn’t want to expose her kids to the fatal realities of their parents’ job just yet. They just seemed so young and innocent and it didn’t feel fair – but that was the world, and they needed to learn those lessons quickly so they could go out and make it a better place.

“You know - I almost gave Mackey a goodbye speech to give to you. Pretty ironic considering I yelled at you for giving me one.”

Matt laughed, “I’m the only person who is allowed to give goodbye speeches.” He joked.

“No more goodbye speeches Casey.” Sylvie told him sternly. “Not when we still have a heck of a lot of memories to make.”

Matt nodded, “Deal. Some anniversary this is, huh?”

“I don’t know – circumstances aside of course – I’m thankful to be anywhere with you by my side.” She said. She always tried to find the good in life – even after being stabbed in the chest with a pair of scissors.

“I love you” Matt told her quietly.

Sylvie felt her eyes begin to close and she drifted off to sleep, but not before telling Matt she loved him with everything that was in her.

* * *

That night, once visiting hours were over, Matt made his way home to see his kids. He expected them to be asleep, but as soon as he walked through the door, he heard laughter coming from the kitchen. He had taken 51 out of service for the rest of the day and while he sat with Sylvie, he sent Severide and Kidd to sit with the kids. As much as they loved their nanny Joanna, he felt they should be with family right now.

He followed the noise into the kitchen and watched from the door frame as the kids demolished giant bowls of ice cream and sweets. He was going to pay for that tonight when he couldn’t get them down from their sugar high.

“Daddy!” Annie exclaimed happily when she saw him. She jumped off her bar stool and ran towards him with her arms held out. Matt scooped his five-year-old into his arms and hugged her tightly against him. After days like today, he wanted to hold onto his kids and never let them go – though Jack and Elliot were hitting the stage where they thought they were a little too cool for hugs. “What are you doing home? Where’s momma?” she asked eagerly. They thought their parents would be at the fire station all night, but first they had Uncle Sev and Auntie Stella and now their dad? It was unusual. While Annie didn’t quite clock on that something was wrong, Matt took one glance at the boys and knew instantly that they knew.

“The moment Auntie Stella brought out the ice cream we figured something was wrong.” Elliot told him. “It’s 10pm…” they knew it was a little late for this kind of snack, even if it was summer.

Matt nodded his head as he continued to hold Annie in his arms. He felt his daughter’s body tense at her brother’s words.

“There uh – there was an accident at work today.” He started with a gulp as Elliot and Jack put their spoons down and turned in their stools to look at him. “Mom got hurt and she needed to have surgery on her heart.” He said vaguely. They didn’t need to know the gory details. “But she is ok. She’s going to be spending the next few days in hospital, but she will be back home before you know it.”

“Just like when you were in hospital, right?” Jack asked. It didn’t seem that long ago that Matt had his accident. He could only imagine how difficult this was for the kids to process in light of that.

“Yeah. Just like that. We can go see her tomorrow and when she gets home, she’s going to need your help so she can get better. Can I count on you guys?” He asked, trying to give them a sense of direction and purpose in this scary time.

Elliot nodded his head, “Yeah.”

Matt looked at Annie and saw her face was full of sadness. She was clearly worried for her mom and Matt wished there was more he could do to comfort her. Before he could say anything to her, Elliot and Jack got off their stools and rushed towards him, tightly hugging his torso. Matt felt some more tears prickle in his eyes. He bent down and set Annie down so he could hug all of them at the same time. He was so proud of how brave they were being in this moment. It was clear from what Sylvie went through today that bravery and strength ran in their veins – and he knew instantly that they would all be ok.


	44. Anywhere in the World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I have a crazy idea. I was reading about these last-minute plane deals where you sign up to fly any place there's a cancellation. Could be South Africa, Japan, some island off the coast of Scotland. You don't know until they call. Guaranteed adventure. Spin the wheel. Go wherever they tell you."
> 
> Sylvie and Matt try to convince their kids into joining them on an anywhere in the world adventure while Elliot gets sentimental about the end of his teenage years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I hope you are all keeping safe and well. 
> 
> This is a chapter I'd been thinking about doing for a while and then a few requests came through for it and this is what came of it! I also thought we'd seen a lot more Jack or Annie-centric chapters, so Elliot deserved the limelight a little and to delve a little into his character and personality. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it!

**Anywhere in the World**

Sylvie and Matt eagerly walked into their living room one Saturday morning to speak to their kids. Their summer vacation was about to begin, and they were excited to be done with school for a while. Elliot and Jack were particularly excited – it was the summer before their senior year of high school, and they were determined to enjoy it while it lasted.

Sylvie and Matt had ideas of their own about the summer. As excited as they were by what they were about to suggest, they weren’t sure their kids were going to buy into it – so they really had to up the enthusiasm about it. When they walked into the room, they found their kids lounging on the couch watching TV together. Sunday was napping quietly between them. When Sunday was a puppy, Sylvie did anything to try and keep her off her couch, but soon realised she was fighting a losing battle – mainly because she found it adorable when Sunday would snuggle up with the kids like she was now. Sylvie lifted the remote from the coffee table and turned the TV off, much to their annoyance.

“Mom, what are you doing?!” Jack protested. He reached to take the remote from her, but she swiftly moved her hand back and sent him a warning glare that immediately made him sit down.

“We have something we would like to talk to you guys about” Sylvie said as she and Matt smiled widely.

Annie grimaced, “Why are you smiling like _maniacs_?”

Sylvie and Matt softened their smiles a little, realising they’d maybe gone in too hard. “So, a long time ago” Matt began.

“Like _20 years_ long time ago” Sylvie added.

“I had this idea to go on an anywhere in the world adventure.” Matt said before pausing to gauge their initial reactions. He’d hoped their ears would peak up in interest, but instead, they just looked at him entirely confused by what he was talking about and where he was going with this.

“What is that exactly?” Elliot asked slowly.

“You go to the airport and you’re put on standby by an airline for the next available flight.” Matt explained.

“To an unknown destination?” Jack finished.

“Exactly!” Sylvie said happily. “Spin the wheel, guaranteed adventure.” She added, repeating Matt’s words from years ago. “Anyway, it’s something we’ve both always wanted to do, but never found the opportunity and we think that now would be the _perfect_ time.”

“Yeah, boys you’re heading to college next year, Annie’s starting high school, now feels like the best opportunity.” Matt reasoned. They figured the boys would be anywhere but at home next summer as they started this new phase of their lives.

“Let me just put this altogether” Elliot said as he sat forward. “You want us to spend our last summer of high school in a random destination that could end up being a _warzone_ or just somewhere _completely_ ridiculous?” he asked, not buying the idea at all. “That sounds like a recipe for disaster. Knowing us – or knowing _Jack_ – he’d probably land us all in _prison_.”

“Elliot, Jack is just as likely to land you in prison in Chicago than anywhere else in the world” Annie mocked as Jack punched them both in the arm.

“That’s why I have a twin – to bail me out” Jack joked with a laugh as Sylvie closed her eyes in despair and Matt pinched the bridge of his nose. Part of them was convinced Jack _would_ end up behind bars one day. Most likely for doing something petty and idiotic _,_ but behind bars none the less.

“Prison aside—” Annie began, getting the conversation back onside. “How would we know what to pack? We could end up in Australia or Siberia. Nobody can prepare for that.”

“It’s all part of the adventure Annie!” Sylvie said, trying to up the ante.

“And what if we just end up taking a flight to Springfield? Not exactly an adventure…” Elliot added. This could seriously backfire on them and be the lamest adventure ever.

“Can you guys _stop_ throwing a bucket of cold water on our fun?” Sylvie whined. “We can have some rules about where we go, but it’s good to be spontaneous.”

“You know what? I’m in.” Jack said with certainty as he and Matt high fived. Elliot looked at him in disbelief. “Are you kidding?”

“Elliot you need to stop thinking too much about stuff and _just do it_.” Jack reasoned. Ever since they were kids it had always been the case that Jack was a risk taker and Elliot was a calculated thinker. It often made them clash, but it also made them a dynamic duo when they took things on together.

“I’m just being cautious.” Elliot reasoned. “What about Sunday? We can’t just leave her here, she’s getting old…” he said as he ran his hand down the dog’s back. At 10 years old, she was definitely getting more lethargic.

“When have we ever left Sunday alone for extended periods of time?” Jack asked. Elliot was just creating scenarios that weren’t even possible.

“Severide and Stella can take her, like they always do when we’re away.” Sylvie assured him.

Annie sighed, “What the hell, I am in” she conceded.

“Annie, come on.” Elliot exclaimed. Both of his siblings were caving?!

“Throw caution to the wind Elliot!” Annie said as she playfully shook him. “A little bit of spontaneity won’t kill you and we have been guaranteed adventure…”

Matt beamed, “What more could you want?” he questioned enthusiastically.

Elliot sighed, “If we end up in a Burmese prison or something—”

“Then we will _gladly_ let you say I told you so.” Jack interrupted.

Elliot looked between his family who were all staring at him eagerly. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to go on vacation with them, he’d just prefer to know where he was going. He was a careful planner and it made him feel a little uneasy. But while Jack could do with being a little more thoughtful like Elliot, Elliot could do with being a little more carefree from time to time.

“… I guess guaranteed adventure sounds fun.” He conceded.

Sylvie squealed lightly and clapped her hands, “This is going to be _so_ great!”

* * *

Two weeks later, the Caseys were sitting in the airport, waiting with eager anticipation. They’d made a few rules before they left to ease Elliot’s mind (and admittedly Sylvie’s mind) a little bit. Essentially, it amounted to no conflict zones and no sub-zero temperatures. They packed light, knowing they could buy essentials from wherever the ended up.

“So, we just sit here and wait?” Annie asked as she sat down beside her family as they sat in a row of airport chairs.

Sylvie nodded, “Yep! The airline has our details, they’ll call us when the first flight for 5 comes up.”

“Well we could be here for a while, so I’m going to get us some snacks” Jack said as he stood and walked away.

“I’m coming too” Annie said as she raced after her brother.

Sylvie and Matt turned to look at Elliot who was sitting in his seat, staring into space. They briefly glanced at each other in a mixture of concern and confusion before turning back to Elliot.

“You ok buddy?” Matt asked as he rested his hand on Elliot’s shoulder.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine, it’s just… weird.” Elliot said cryptically.

“What’s weird?” Sylvie asked, growing more confused by Elliot’s pondering.

Elliot sighed and finally turned to look at his parents, “I know I’ve been kind of irritating about this trip and it’s just one complaint after another and I don’t mean to be, I’m just cautious and like to think out all eventualities because I don’t want anybody to get hurt—” he rambled as Matt chuckled, stopping him from continuing.

“You’re like that because it’s exactly what _I’m_ like” Matt told him. He’d always noticed that about Elliot. Not only was he Matt’s doppelganger in looks, but he was also his doppelganger in spirit. He was basically a Matt Casey 2.0.

Elliot gave him a lopsided smirk, “Like father like son…”

“Well what’s on your mind about the trip now?” Sylvie asked, as she moved to sit on the other side of Elliot.

“I’m just getting a little… sentimental.” He revealed as Sylvie and Matt looked at him in surprise. That was not at _all_ what they expected. They expected it to be about accommodation or food or money but nope. _Sentimentality_.

“What do you mean?”

“When you suggest this trip to us, you said that it could be the last chance for us to do something like this before Jack and I head to college and the magnitude of that has only really just hit me.” Elliot confessed. “I know we’re still going to have a whole lifetime of family stuff, but it does kind of feel like a part of our lives is ending and that’s _scary_. It’s scary that I’ll look back on my life and say ‘yeah, I went on an anywhere in the world adventure and that was the end of my teenage years.’”

“Oh honey…” Sylvie sympathised as she gently rubbed his back. Major life changes were an overwhelming experience - she knew that first hand.

Elliot rolled his eyes at himself, “I know this probably sounds ridiculous…”

“No, no, not at all.” Sylvie assured him. Elliot had always been a little more sensitive than his siblings and Matt and Sylvie made sure that as he grew up, he understood that that was an admirable thing.

“It’s hard not to look back on your life like that.” Matt added. He often thought of his life in the same way. Although he was only 15, he felt like his father’s death ended his teenage years. Hallie’s death marked another end point. Gabby leaving marked another. Sylvie nodded her head in agreement. For her, fleeing Fowlerton was the end of a restricted life. Her breakup with Antonio was another.

“But… I think it’s also good to look back on your life at the starting points. Yeah, your teenage years are ending soon – but that means another phase of your life is only just beginning. And those beginning points?” Matt asked as he looked at his wife with a little smile. “Well – they tend to be the most impactful.” Beginning his life with Sylvie had been the most impactful moment of his life. So was becoming a firefighter and then a father. “So choose to look for beginnings Elliot. They might just be the best moments of your life.”

Elliot smiled, nodded his head and looked to his feet. “Thanks” he said gratefully.

“Mom, dad, did you hear?!” Annie exclaimed as she and Elliot came running over with their snacks.

“Hear what?” Sylvie asked.

“They just called our names for a flight, how did you miss it?!” Jack asked excitedly as he and Annie threw their snacks down. Sylvie, Matt and Elliot had been so engrossed in their conversation that they hadn’t even heard the announcement.

“To where?” Elliot asked with a gulp. This was the moment of truth. They were either about to embark on a deadly adventure or the adventure of a lifetime.

Jack stepped forward and placed his hands on Elliot’s shoulders. “Fiji. We’re going to frickin _Fiji_ Elliot!”

“No way?!” Sylvie exclaimed. She really hadn’t expected to end up somewhere so nice!

“This is _amazing!_ ” Annie exclaimed as she jumped a little with glee.

“I guess we better get going then” Matt said as they all gathered their stuff and began walking towards the gate. Elliot trailed a little bit behind his family and watched as they eagerly conversed about all they could do in Fiji. For the first time, he truly began to feel the excitement of spinning the wheel. He also began to feel the excitement of the future, because he knew no matter what, he would always have his family by his side.


	45. Crazy Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stella and Severide have some exciting news to share.

**Crazy Town**

Stella and Severide excitedly climbed the steps to Matt and Sylvie’s townhouse one Saturday evening. They had been invited round for a nice, adult dinner after the little Caseys went to bed. For Matt and Sylvie, it was a welcomed evening of civility and much need adult company outside of the firehouse, but for Stella and Severide it was a little more important than that. They had news. _Big_ news – and the couldn’t wait to share it with their best friends.

“So” Stella began as they stood in front of the door. “We wait till we’re sitting down to eat?” she asked.

Severide nodded, “Yeah, let’s wait till dinner.”

Stella smiled, “they’re going to freak.”

_“Totally.”_

Stella raised her hand to ring the doorbell, but pause and frowned when they heard some shouting, squealing and laughter coming from inside.

_“Jack!”_ they heard Sylvie exclaim followed by exasperation sigh. _“Put your pyjamas back on!”_

_“I can’t momma, I’m king of the jungle, kings don’t wear PJs!”_ Jack shouted back.

_“Elliot!”_ they heard Matt exclaim this time. _“I have asked you three times now to go and brush your teeth, I am not going to ask you again.”_ He said sternly.

_“I’m too busy fighting fires dad!”_ Elliot replied – just as Annie’s cries echoed through the house.

_“Firefighters cannot be good firefighters without strong, healthy teeth!”_ Matt reasoned.

Stella and Severide simultaneously gulped. They loved the Casey kids with everything in them and while they were normally very well behaved – they felt like they were about to walk into a mad house.

_“Uncle Sev! Auntie Stella!”_

They turned their heads and saw Jack eagerly waving at the them from the front room windows.

_“Jack! You do not stand in the window while you are naked!”_ Sylvie warned.

The front door swung open, causing them to jump a little and Elliot appeared behind it, his firefighter costume covering his firefighter pyjamas.

Stella smirked at the little boy, “Why hell lieutenant.”

Elliot stood up straighter, “I’m a captain Auntie Stella.”

“My apologies Captain Casey” she replied with a salute as Elliot giggled.

Sylvie appeared behind Elliot. She looked a little dishevelled as a blubbering Annie perched on her hip. It appeared the one year old was having a rough time with her brothers being so loud. Suddenly, there was a crash followed by the sound of something breaking.

_“Jack!_ ” Matt shouted as Sylvie closed her eyes and sighed.

“… welcome to crazy town.” She said with a mocking smile. It was clear that Sylvie and Matt were just about done with their kids today.

Stella and Severide’s eyes widened as they gave her a nod of uncertainty. All of a sudden, they weren’t so excited to share their news...

Severide cleared his throat and looked down at Elliot. “Come on Captain.” He said as he scooped Elliot under his arm and walked past Sylvie into the house. “You can tell me all about your fire fighter adventures from today.”

Stella looked at Sylvie and saw the desperation in her friend’s eyes.

“Come here honey” Stella said as she held her arms out for Annie. Sylvie gladly handed her over and Stella ran her hand over her goddaughter’s blonde wisps, before following Sylvie into the house.

* * *

“I am so sorry” Sylvie apologised as she cleaned up the glass Jack broke after he jumped off the kitchen island and kicked it on his way down. That happened approximately 45 minutes ago and Sylvie was only now getting to clean it up. In that time, Matt and Severide had somehow managed to get the boys upstairs and ready for bed. They only ran back downstairs once – well, Jack made it one and a _half_ times. He got half way down the stairs before Matt caught him and brought him back upstairs. Stella also managed to expertly sooth Annie and rock her straight to sleep. _“You have a magic touch”_ Sylvie had told her gratefully, to which Stella couldn’t help but smile.

“We invited you here for a nice dinner and instead you walked into the lion’s den…” Sylvie grumbled apologetically as she threw the glass in the trash.

“Are you kidding? You know I _love_ some Casey house madness.” Stella insisted.

“Stella, you know I love my babies more than anything.” Sylvie told her desperately. “They are the lights of my life, but I swear to God – if we have another day like today, I might have to disown them.” She said dramatically. “This is the _third_ glass that Jack has broken today from jumping off the island. Elliot, who would normally just sit and read or play quietly, watched _one_ episode of Fireman Sam and decided that he need to become a fire fighter today, which included spraying my living room with water. And then Annie – _my sweet, little Annie_ – she has been _so needy._ Any time Matt or I put her down, she just burst into tears! My back _hurts_ from walking her up and down the hall because she’s not steady enough on her own feet and I just – I’m _exhausted_.” Sylvie rambled.

“Ok, we need to get you some wine…” Stella said as she rushed over to the cooler under the island.

“Oh my god _please.”_ Sylvie begged as she collapsed on one of the island stools.

“I think it’s important to remember that they are not always like this.” Stella told her. If anything, it was more of a reminder to herself right now…

“Yeah, I – a little more.” She said, cutting herself off as Stella poured her a large glass of wine. “Days like this make that easy to forget.”

“Sylvie” she heard Matt say as he and Severide walked into the room. “They’re in bed but, full disclosure – there was bribery involved. I know you say bribery is not the answer but—”

“Honey I don’t know what the answer is anymore.” Sylvie conceded. Her normally optimistic outlook was dwindling in the face of her exhaustion. “What did you promise them?”

“Jack wanted two scoops of chocolate ice cream after dinner tomorrow instead of one” Matt said. Sunday night was ice-cream night and Jack was prepared to work the system right now.

“Elliot wanted $10” Severide said.

Stella grimaced, “What is a 5 year old going to do with $5?”

Severide shrugged, “I didn’t any questions, that’s his business.” He joked as Stella playfully rolled her eyes.

“What about Annie?” Matt asked as he got some beers from the fridge.

“Stella rocked her to sleep. She’s a pro” Sylvie said with a grateful smile as Matt sat beside her and she comfortingly ran a hand across his back and over his shoulder.

Matt sighed, “Honestly, I think you two might have had the right idea to put off the kids thing…”

“Yeah, we can live vicariously through you as our fun, child free friends” Sylvie said with a little laugh. “How are you guys? Tells us about life out in the real world?”

Stella and Severide looked at each other and stumbled over their words.

“Well, actually… there is something we wanted to tell you guys” Stella said awkwardly as Severide nodded in agreement and took a _big_ chug of his beer.

“What’s up?” Matt asked with a furrowed brow.

“Well – we – this wasn’t on purpose, but also weren’t actively stopping something like this happening--” Stella rambled.

“Yeah, a bit of a surprise but we’re excited and it’s a lot to look forward to—"

“Spit it out guys” Sylvie said. She was too tired for fumbled words.

“… we’re having a baby.” Stella said quietly as Matt and Sylvie’s mouths fell open. “I hit 12 weeks yesterday… surprise!”

“Oh… _my god”_ Sylvie said as she stood from her stool. “You’re having a baby?” she asked again as she rested her hand over her heart and smiled.

“Yeah, we are” Stella said with a proud smile as Sylvie rushed over and hugged her friend while Matt did the same with Severide.

“Congrats man” Matt said as they all beamed widely.

Sylvie pulled back from her hug with tears in her eyes, “First of all – I am so _beyond_ happy for you two” she said as Stella let out a little laugh. “Second of all – I am _so_ sorry that from the moment you walked in here we have been complaining about our babies being a little crazy today…” she said as she looked at Matt who gave them a sympathetic smile. “But being a parent is the best job we have ever done.” She said sincerely. “Yes, there are rough days, but you also have so much excitement to look forward to. The good always outweighs the bad. You two are going to be the best parents and we love you so much” she finished as she hugged Stella again who started tearing up herself.

“Damn hormones…” she mumbled as Sylvie giggled.

Matt raised his beer as they others raised their drinks with him. “Welcome to crazy town” he said, unwittingly repeating Sylvie’s words from earlier – but in a much more upbeat way. As insane as their little Caseys could be, they wouldn’t change the life they had with them for anything in the world. Crazy town was right where they were always meant to be.


	46. The Extra Mile

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! This chapter is another adult Casey kids chapter. It's set after Matt and Sylvie have retired. I hope you enjoy this little glimpse into the distant future as Annie jumps into action in a dangerous situation and Elliot is hit with a case of mistaken identity...

**The Extra Mile**

“Dr. Casey!” April called as Annie came rushing into the ER. She’d received the mass page that there had been a sinkhole in the middle of town, so it was all hands-on deck in the ER. As one of the trauma residents, she knew her hands were going to be full today. “They need a trauma surgeon for an on-site amputation, a woman is trapped under her car _in_ the sinkhole, they’re sending Brody from orthopaedics with you, ambo’s out front to take you”

“Ok, I’m on it” Annie said as she quickly ran back into the lounge and gathered her jacket. She grabbed their equipment bags and trays at the door before racing to the scene. She’d done a few small procedures at crash sites before, but nothing as extreme as this. She wasn’t quite sure what to expect when she got there.

Meanwhile, 51 were already at the site of the sink hole. They had been trying desperately to secure the area while search and rescue dealt with the couple who had fallen into the hole. The hole had caused some minor collisions to occur from behind them, so they were tasked with removing the victims from their cars. It was a miracle that the situation wasn’t a lot worse.

“Ma’am” Elliot said as he approached the last small silver car. There was an older lady sitting in the front seat. She looked _beyond_ frightened. Her hands were tightly gripping the steering wheel and she had a laceration across her forehead. “Ma’am, are you ok? Can you tell me your name?” he asked as he looked around her to see anymore obvious trauma spots.

The woman turned her head and as soon as she looked at Elliot’s face, her expression went from scared to stunned.

 _“Matthew?”_ she said in a whisper as Elliot froze. “Matthew Casey? Oh of course you would be the one to save everyone!” she said happily.

“Uh—” Elliot stumbled over his words. This woman thought he was his _dad?_ The resemblance was uncanny, but Elliot didn’t think they were alike enough to be mistaken for each other. He supposed the woman was stunned – but his interest was peaked. How did this lady know his dad? “Ma’am my name is Elliot, we’re going to get you out of here, ok? What’s your name?”

“Sally” she responded. “I suppose it’s been a long time since we’ve seen one another, I can’t imagine you would remember little old me Captain.” She said with a little laugh – it appeared she hadn’t picked up on Elliot telling her his name. All she saw was Matt. Elliot did find it remarkable that she was suddenly so, unbelievably calm thinking that it was his dad rescuing her.

Elliot called over the rest of squad to extract Sally from the car. They used the jaws to pry open the door before ambo came and took her away. Elliot stood back for a minute trying to digest what had happened. He wasn’t really sure what to make of the whole thing.

“You ok?” He heard a voice ask as he looked up and saw Jack standing in front of him.

“… that lady thought I was dad.” Elliot told him.

Jack nodded once and looked back at the lady as she was loaded into an ambulance. “A little weird… come on, surgeons are here for the amputation.” Jack told him as they walked away and towards the ambo from Chicago Med that had just pulled up. As the doors opened, Annie stepped out and both of their faces fell.

 _“Hell no._ ” Jack said resolutely. “You’re not going in there.”

“Uh, yes I am, you need a trauma surgeon, I’m a trauma surgeon” Annie replied instantly.

“It’s dangerous Annie, you’re not trained for this.” Elliot replied. He was going to back Jack on this one 100%.

Dr. Brody jumped off the back of the ambo and looked between the three Caseys as they bickered, “Do you three know each other?” He’d only been at Chicago Med for a few weeks. To all the other doctors, firefighters and police officers in their district, the Casey siblings were notorious.

Jack scoffed, “You don't see the resemblance?” he joked. "I thought the blonde hair and bright blue eyes would be a dead give away."

"Come on Jack... my hair is definitely a dirty brown." Elliot teased as Jack smirked. 

“They are my _idiot_ brothers who for some reason don’t think I can handle myself.” Annie said through her teeth in anger. She appreciated that her brothers would always look out for her, but she hated being treated like a child and not the perfectly capable adult and surgeon that she was.

“That’s not what we think—”

 _“Look.”_ Annie said sternly. “I would never stop you two from doing your job so don’t try and stop me from doing mine.” She said before storming past the boys and towards Gallo who was standing by the edge of the sink hole.

“Lieutenant—holy _crap_ …” she said to him as she was distracted by the size of the sink hole that she was only now able to take in.

“Annie, hey” he said as she continued to look in awe as Brody, Jack and Elliot all stood behind her. “Pretty remarkable huh? There are a couple stuck down there, Amy and John Cassidy. He has a head wound and a broken ankle but we don’t see any other obvious injuries. We think we could potentially bring him up, but he won’t leave without his wife and her leg is stuck under the car.”

“How do we get down to her?” Annie asked.

“You don’t.” Jack said as she turned to look at him. “It’s way too unstable, the whole thing would cave in.”

“I thought that’s why we were here, for an amputation?” Brody questioned.

“… we need you to talk John through it.” Gallo told them nervously.

Annie looked at Gallo, completely stunned. “You want _him_ to cut off his wife’s leg?”

“We have him on the monitor, we can talk to him.” Gallo said as he motioned them over to a screen by the side of the sink hole. They could immediately hear his painful protests on the monitor. He couldn’t cut his wife’s leg off, it was insanity! He understood that he needed to, but it didn’t make it any less traumatic and horrible for him.

Annie watched as Brody began talking John through what he had to do. The amputation kit was lowered down the hole and John’s distress was becoming more and more evident.

_“I can’t do it, she’s bleeding, I’m going to kill her, she’s dying I can’t do it!”_

“I’m going down.” Annie said as she swiftly pulled her hair into a ponytail.

“Casey we can’t let you do that.” Gallo made clear.

“He _cannot_ do this.” Annie said slowly and clearly.

“Yes, he can—” Brody protested.

“No, we are asking too much of him Brody. _I’m going.”_

Gallo looked at Jack and Elliot who was standing in an angered silence. They wanted more than anything to protest against Annie’s decision – but they knew they couldn’t. Caseys were stubborn and if Annie said she was going to do something then she was going to do it. Also, as much as it frustrated them, they knew she was right. The longer this guy took the more likely it was his wife would die. 

“… if it gets unstable then we pull you up immediately.” Gallo said as calmly as he could. If his old boss could see him right now he'd probably fire his ass for putting his daughter in harm's way like this.

“Ok” Annie said as she ran over to the rescue team to get harnessed up.

Jack and Elliot looked at each other, “I think we can make a deal not to tell mom and dad about this one…” Jack said.

“Absolutely.” Elliot said without missing a beat. They knew their parents had pulled some remarkable stunts over the years, but when it came to their kids, they couldn’t let the same slide – adults or not.

* * *

Soon enough, Annie was being lowered through the sink hole. She was nervous as _hell_ – how could she not be? But when she reached the bottom, her doctor mode activated, and she sprung into action.

“John? John?” she said twice as the man finally turned to look at her. “My name is Annie, I’m a doctor and I’m going to help your wife. You’ve done amazing so far and right now I just need you to protect her head ok? Take this” she said as she handed him some cloth “And cover it, ok?” she knew the cloth wouldn't do much right now, but she needed to keep John distracted and focused on _something_.

John started to cry, “I couldn’t do it, I’m sorry—”

“I’ve got this John. Look away, ok?” she said as she quickly sliced through the skin, clamped it and sawed through the bone. “There, she’s free.” She said with an encouraging smile. Annie looked over at the monitor “Take him up” she said as the harness John was attached to started to be raised from the ground.

Annie stayed with Amy and ensured she was stable until she was ready to be lifted up. When Annie herself was lifted up, she was immediately met by her brothers, whose faces were basically ashen out of worry.

 _“… I’m ok”_ she made clear as they slowly nodded their heads. Once she had been released from her harness, the boys rushed toward and hugged her with everything in them. Annie couldn’t help but smile at them and hug them just as tightly back. She loved these protective idiots with all her heart. “Can we agree not to tell mom and dad about this one?”

_“100%” “Deal.”_

Gallo walked over to Annie and patted her arm, “You missed your calling Casey. Not too late to turn this duo into a trio at 51”

Annie smiled, “I don’t know. I think there’s something kind of nice about Jack and Elliot doing the saves and then bringing them to me to stitch back up. It’s a different kind of trio.”

Gallo nodded his head, “Yeah. A trio this city is lucky to have – you’re right where you’re meant to be Casey.”

* * *

The day after the sinkhole, Annie made her way round to her parent’s house and walked through the back gate. They tried to have a family dinner together once a week and the night changed depending on when the boys were on shift. Sylvie had told them they were planning on having a BBQ since the weather was nice, so Sylvie knew to head out back first. Matt loved any chance he could get to grill in his large back yard.

Annie smiled when she spotted her parents and brothers already sitting on the deck. She climbed the steps and greeted them cheerily, “Hey!” The Casey remained silent and stared straight at her. “… what did I miss?”

“You went into a sinkhole yesterday?” Sylvie asked almost in disbelief.

Annie’s mouth fell open as she looked at her brothers who immediately held their hands up, “We said nothing”

“You were all over the news Annie.” Matt told her with a sigh.

“Ok, I made the right call to go down there, if you were there you _totally_ would have done the same thing.” She reasoned before Matt and Sylvie went off in one. “You two did some pretty reckless things in your careers so I don’t think anyone is in a position to judge.”

“Annie – we’re proud of you for what you did.” Sylvie said as Annie’s stance softened. She had immediately gone into defensive mode, which had maybe been a little misguided. “It was _stupidly_ unsafe…” and there it was... “but I imagine it took a lot of courage and we raised you to have exactly that… just _please_ don’t do it again” Sylvie said as she stood and hugged her daughter.

Annie let out a laugh, “Deal.”

Sylvie pulled back and held onto her daughter’s arms, “As proud as we are of what you do, it’s a parent’s prerogative to worry.” She said with a little wink.

“No more sink holes.” Annie assured them as she and Sylvie sat back down with the boys. Annie was sure to give her dad a quick kiss on the cheek as a way of saying 'sorry I freaked you out.' “You’ll be glad to know that both John and Amy are going to be ok.” she told the boys as Sylvie handed her a drink.

“That’s good to hear” Jack responded.

“What were you two doing while Annie was saving the day?” Matt asked.

“Something weird actually happened to me…” Elliot began as everyone looked at him curiously. “I was rescuing an older lady from a car and she was really afraid but then she looked up at me – and called me Matthew Casey.”

Matt raised his eyebrows in surprise, but Sylvie just smiled. Matt had made so much more of an impact that he ever gave himself credit for and she loved that her kids were following in his footsteps.

“I’m guessing you saved her once before dad and since we _kinda_ look alike…” he said sarcastically. Matt chuckled – _that_ was an understatement. Looking at Elliot was like looking at Matt 30 years ago. “She thought I was you. Her name was Sally, that’s all I got.”

Matt nodded his head. He knew exactly who she was talking about. “Sally Jenkins. I rescued her from a house fire 30 odd years ago. She lost a lot in the fire and I helped her rebuild her house.”

Annie smiled, “Always going that extra mile.”

“It’s why we do the jobs that we do, right?” he asked his family as they all nodded in agreement. They brought their hearts on the job and out onto the streets afterwards and that would never change.

“I know we don’t do it for the glory and it’s not about getting your picture in the paper” Jack began. “But moments like this are remarkable. When the work that you do is so embedded in someone’s mind that they never forget what you did. So much so that there's a case of mistaken identity.” he said with a little laugh.

“I think that’s why we do the job too. To make a difference in people’s lives.” Elliot added. “Maybe it’s a little selfish and it's not at all why we do this, but it feels good to have that recognised from time to time.”

Sylvie raised her glass and everyone else did too, “Well, to the CFD and of course Chicago Med—” she said as she looked at her daughter. “May we all continue to hold on to the humanity of our jobs and to go the extra mile whenever we can.”

“To the extra mile” Annie reiterated as they clicked their glasses, feeling grateful that they had the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives every day.


	47. Tom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sylvie gets an unexpected visitor at 51

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time to meet another member of Brett's family... enjoy!

**Tom**

“Hey” Sylvie greeted her husband as she bumped into him in the hallways of 51. “What you got there?” she asked as he turned the piece of paper in his hands around to show her. It was a drawing of a fire truck fighting off a house fire.

“The little boy from the house fire last shift just dropped this off. His way of saying thank you” he said with an amused grin.

Sylvie smiled, “That is very sweet. You going to put it on the notice board?”

Matt nodded, “Yeah, I was heading that direction now.” He said as they started walking towards the lounge. “What are you up to?”

“Oh nothing, I was just going to go read in my bunk. Maybe call – _Tom?”_ she suddenly said as her eyes widened in surprise. Matt followed her eye line to the door and soon realised why she looked so surprised. Her brother was standing right at the door.

“Sylvie!” he said happily as Sylvie squealed lightly and ran forward, jumping into her brother’s arms.

“What are you doing here?!” she asked as she pulled back from the hug.

“Well it’s been a while since I’ve seen my favourite sister, brother in law and nephews.” Tom told her. He hadn’t seen them since the twins were born a little over 6 months ago.

Sylvie playfully rolled her eyes, “We’re your only sister, brother in law and nephews.”

“Which is why you’re my favourite” he said with a wink.

Matt took this as his opportunity to interrupt their reunion, “Hey Tom” he greeted as they shook hands.

“Hey Matt – or should I say Captain” He mocked.

“Glad to see you know you’re place Brett.” Matt mocked back. Tom and Matt had always gotten along well. According to Sylvie, he was the first of Sylvie’s partners that he actually liked.

“I was just saying to Matt I was going to call you this afternoon, what a weird coincidence.” She said with a little laugh. “What are you doing in Chicago anyway?”

“Well, Samantha broke up with me” he began with a sigh.

Sylvie screwed up her face, _“Again?”_ She was pretty sure this was the third – nope, _fourth_ – time Samantha had broken up with him.

“Yeah, apparently I’m a commitment-phobe and she can’t take it anymore…” he explained.

Sylvie flashed Matt a glance that said _‘she’s entirely right’_ as Matt held back his smirk. Tom and Sylvie got along famously well, but in many ways, they were strikingly different. While Sylvie was a hopeless romantic who always looked for commitment in her relationships, Tom was a free spirit. He didn’t like to be tied down to any one or any place. He was also a notorious flirt. He gained himself a not so good reputation in Fowlerton when he was a teenager and broke more than one heart...

“Well… maybe a bit of commitment would be good?” Sylvie hesitantly suggested.

 _“Ugh”_ Tom said with a groan. “This is definitely a 4 beer in conversation. So, what do you say? Night out with your big brother?” he asked with a hopeful grin.

“By 'night out' I hope you mean a couple of bars and then home to bed…” Sylvie asked. She also did not have Tom’s stamina when it came to evening’s out. She also hadn’t had a proper night out since the twins were born. She was convinced she’d crack after one drink.

“Ok momma pants” Tom teased. “One bar, _multiple_ drinks, and a guaranteed good time.” He compromised.

Sylvie smiled, “Then I know just the place.” She said, excited to show Tom Molly’s.

Tom grinned, “Awesome. Matt, you in?”

“As fun as it sounds, I think I’ll stay home with my boys.” He said. Truthfully, nights in with his boys had quickly become his favourite nights. Also, this meant that Sylvie could enjoy her evening knowing that they were in safe hands.

“Why hello there” Emily said as she walked towards the trio with a smirk on her face. It appeared she had chosen a good day to visit the firehouse and catch up with her 51 family. Sylvie rolled her eyes knowingly. Her brother was stupidly handsome which was instantly intriguing to her friend.

“Emily Foster, this is my brother Tom. Emily used to be my partner on ambo.” she introduced as their faces perked up.

“Ah the famous brother… I’ve heard a lot about you” Emily said as they shook hands.

“All good things I hope”

Emily shook her head and gritted her teeth, “I wouldn’t say that… but there’s nothing wrong with a little bit of bad every now and again.”

Sylvie and Matt both grimaced as Emily and Tom eyed each other curiously.

“Ok, Foster don’t you have, I don't know, a job to get to?” Sylvie asked.

Emily sighed, "I was just on my way out. It was nice to meet you Tom, Sylvie - I'll call you later.” she said as she gave him one last flirty glance before walking away.

 _“No.”_ Sylvie told Tom firmly.

Tom held his hands up, “I didn’t do anything!”

“I know you, you’re _looking_ to do something.” She said with a deep glare.

“I’m only here to spend time with my family. Ok?” he assured her.

“Yeah… ok.” she said unconvincingly. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to everyone else.” She said as she hooked her arm through his and led him into the lounge.

Matt held back and watched as Sylvie happily introduced everyone to her brother. Tom always came into Chicago like a whirlwind, so he didn’t doubt they were in for an interesting few days.

* * *

The following evening, Sylvie walked into the living room as she slipped her jacket on. She smiled at the scene in front of her. Matt was sitting on the couch with a baby in each arm. The boys were guzzling down their bottles and all three of them had their eyes glued to the hockey on TV.

Sylvie walked behind the sofa and rested her hands on Matt’s shoulders, “Like father like sons.” She said as she kissed his cheek.

Matt grinned, “Gotta start them young.” He joked as Sylvie walked over to the mirror above the fireplace and put her earrings in. “You look amazing.”

Sylvie smiled through the mirror at him, “Thank you. Are you sure you’re going to be ok with them?" She asked as she knelt in front of her boys, their eyes immediately moving from the TV to their mother. They were clearly glad to see her as their little faces beamed. Elliot reached out a little fist that Sylvie quickly kissed.

Matt nodded, “Yeah, we’ll be fine. Severide is coming over, I’ll not be on my own.”

Sylvie nodded, “Ok… just don’t let him do anything ridiculous with my babies.” She warned. Severide was amazing with them, but he was also after the ‘cool uncle’ status, so some stunts he pulled didn’t always go over so well with Sylvie.

“They’ll be fine.” He assured as Sylvie’s phone buzzed letting her know Emily was here. She had offered her a ride to Molly’s since she wasn’t planning on drinking tonight.

“Go and have fun with Tom” he said as she kissed the boys quickly.

“Bye babies” she said before turning to Matt. “Bye baby” she joked as she quickly kissed him. “I love you”

“I love you too” he responded as she left the house and got into Emily’s car.

“Hey girl” Emily greeted as Sylvie hopped into the car.

“Hey, thanks for the ride” Sylvie said gratefully.

“Oh, no problem, I’m on a dry month cleanse thing so it’s really no problem.” Emily insisted. “It is also in no way a problem how _fine_ your brother is.” She said as she pulled off the curb.

“Foster…” Sylvie groaned.

“You kept that one _super_ quiet.”

“I’m not sure that’s something a sister should run around talking about…” she said with a grimace.

“Not that he’s hot, that he exists at _all.”_ Emily clarified. “You never really talk about him.”

Sylvie shrugged, “I know it probably sounds strange but sometimes I feel like I have my Chicago life and my Fowlerton life and the two rarely cross over. It’s not that I don’t want them to, I just don’t see Tom that often and when I do it’s in Fowlerton with our parents.”

Emily nodded understandingly. She wasn’t deliberately hiding her brother, it was just the way things were.

“You seemed really happy to see him at the firehouse”

Sylvie smiled, “I was. It was a total surprise. He’s just so much fun and every time he’s in town we have the best time together – so I know tonight will be no different.”

“Well – let the party commence.”

* * *

 _“Matt! Hi!”_ Sylvie said excitedly as she dashed towards him the moment he came into Molly’s. She flung her arms around him with a drunken giggle as he steadied her so she didn’t end up knocking them both over. At around midnight, Matt received a text from Foster telling him that Sylvie had one too many beers and needed to get home. Unfortunately, Foster had to bail to help a friend and Sylvie was in no mood to leave either.

“Hey babe…” He said with a little laugh as she dragged him back to their table.

“Tommy, look who’s here!” she announced as she wrapped her arm around Matt’s shoulder. “My _hot_ as _hell_ husband" She said with a laugh as she kissed his cheek and Matt blushed. “Hm. I just love you!”

Tom let out a laugh, “Hey Matt…” he said sheepishly.

“Tom…” he said, a little unimpressed that Tom let it get this far. He knew it wasn’t a big deal, but Sylvie hadn’t been this drunk in a long time and she’d have one regretful hangover in the morning.

“I uh – I forgot how little it took to get Sylvie drunk.” Tom confessed as he rubbed the back of his neck.

Sylvie frowned, “I am not _that_ drunk. My tolerance _may_ have slipped a _little_ bit but I am _fine.”_ She insisted.

“I suppose you haven’t drunk like this since before you were pregnant.” Matt said.

Sylvie pouted sweetly, “My boys. _Our_ boys. They are _so_ cute Tom.” She said to her brother.

Tom smiled and nodded, “I know I saw them this morning.”

“I mean _look_ at Matt” Sylvie said as she cupped her husband’s face. “Of _course_ they are going to be cute. We made _hella_ cute babies together.” she drunkenly bragged.

Tom laughed, “They will definitely break a few hearts one day.”

“Just like their uncle” Sylvie teased with a laugh as Tom cleared his throat uncomfortably – something which didn’t go unnoticed by Matt. “But Matt would _never_ break mine. I cannot _begin_ to describe how much he loves me.” Matt couldn’t help but smirk. Sylvie was a brutally honest drunk and though he knew that _she_ knew how he felt about her, it was oddly comforting hearing it right now. “And I cannot begin to tell you how much I love… his _ass_.” She joked.

Matt let out a breathy laugh, “OK, I think it’s time we called it a night…”

Sylvie frowned, “Oh Matt _no!_ The night is just getting started! _Oh no.”_ she said with a gulp as her face fell.

Matt frowned, “What?”

“You have that look in your eye”

“… what look?”

“The _worried_ look. It’s the same look you had when I said yes to Kyle’s proposal.”

Matt looked at her in disbelief, “You remember the look I had on my face during your proposal? You were looking at me at _all?_ ”

Sylvie smiled, “You looked worried that you’d missed your shot” she said as she patted his cheek and Tom watched on at the humours exchange.

Matt smirked, “Well it’s good thing I was wrong wasn’t it?”

 _“Absolutely._ I have _no_ idea what you’re worried about right now though because I am _fine_. Totally fine!”

“Your headache tomorrow will tell you otherwise. Come on, we’ve got some cute babies to get home to.”

“Oh, you’re _so_ right. I miss my babies” she said as her mood changed with the flick of a switch and charged towards the door.

“You coming?” Matt asked as he lifted Sylvie’s jacket. He expected Tom to stay put and see out the night, but Tom nodded his head.

“Yeah. Let’s go.” He said, a little hint of sadness in his voice, following Matt and Sylvie out the door.

* * *

The following morning, Sylvie made her way downstairs in a total daze. She had a pounding headache. She was convinced this was the worst hangover she’d ever had. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and walked into the kitchen and saw the boys sitting in their highchairs as Matt sat down to feed them.

“Hi” she said in a croaky voice.

Matt turned and smiled at her, “Hey. Did you get the aspirin and water I left on the cabinet?”

“Yes. Thank you. I still feel like _death_.” She grumbled as she leaned her elbows on the island and placed her head in her hands.

Matt chuckled, “Well when Tom’s in town – chaos ensues.”

“Where is Tom?”

“He went for a run”

“Are you _kidding_ me?” Sylvie exclaimed as she went to the sink to get some more water. “I am _painfully_ hungover, and he is out _running_? It’s times like this I wish we had the same genetic material.”

“Did you at least have fun?” he asked.

“Honestly – I don’t remember much, but I know a night with Tom is always a night well had.” She said with a nod of certainty.

“I uh – I noticed Tom looked a little down last night when I picked you up” Matt confessed as Sylvie sat in front of the boys to help feed them.

Sylvie frowned, “How so?”

“I don’t know he just got really quiet. Couldn’t tell you why.”

Sylvie nodded, “I’ll talk to him later, make sure everything is ok. For now, my little munchkins need some breakfast” she cooed at her boys who smiled at their parents. “Hm. I just love you.” She said as Matt smirked, remembering she had said the same thing to him last night.

They sat and spoke to each other and their boys for a further few minutes before Tom arrived back in after his run. He watched quietly from the door as the Caseys interacted with one another, often laughing at whatever silly thing their parents or babies were doing. It was the sweetest scene, and for the first time in Tom’s life – he wanted that. He wanted every part of it.

He gently cleared his throat to make his presence known and Sylvie turned around and smiled.

“Hey brother”

“How can you be so enthusiastic with your babies when you’re so hungover?” he asked with a breathy laugh.

Sylvie grinned, “It’s hard to be with these two monkeys” she said as she tickled their bellies and made them laugh. “Do you want some eggs? I was about to make some.”

“Actually I uh – I think I’m going to pack up and hit the road.”

Sylvie’s face fell, “You just got here” she protested.

“I know… I gotta get back to work.” He told her.

Sylvie walked over to him, “You’re a travel photographer. Don’t you set your own schedule?” she questioned.

“My own schedule says I gotta go. I’m sorry sis.” He apologised before leaving the kitchen to gather his things.

Sylvie looked back at Matt with a worried expression on her face. Her brother just seemed really _off._ Normally he was the life of the party, hungover or not, but not right now and apparently, not last night either.

Sylvie turned back around and followed Tom to their guest room. She stood in the doorway and watched as he threw his things into his bag.

“Are you ok?” she asked quietly after a few minutes.

Tom lifted his head and paused for a second. “A few days with my sister works wonders.”

“Tom” she said seriously as she walked into the room. “Please, talk to me. _What_ is going on?”

Tom sighed and put his hands on his hips, “I keep screwing up Sylvie. I keep pushing out anything good in my life and it’s taking its toll. Apparently, I was not made to have a good relationship.”

Sylvie let out a laugh, “Tom, you know how many bad relationships I had to go through before I found Matt. It can be done with the right person.” She reminded him. He was there for the whole Harrison debacle, her Antonio phase and when she brought Kyle home. If her memory served her correctly, Tom punched Harrison _twice_ during the course of their relationship, straight up _refused_ to be friendly with Antonio and told her that Kyle had the personality of a _‘wet fish’._

“And that’s the thing – _you found him_.” He said as Sylvie furrowed her brows in confusion. “You found your person and just watching you two… you’re so captivated by each other. Even how Matt was looking at you when you were drunk last night and talking about his ass—”

“Oh god, I didn’t…” Sylvie grumbled as she screwed up her face in embarrassment.

Tom laughed, “Oh you _did_. But he didn’t stop looking at you like you were the best thing on this earth for even one second.”

Sylvie blushed and gave him a soft yet sympathetic smile. She knew the look Tom was talking about. It was the look Matt held for her every day. He conveyed so much love with just one glance.

“Point is” Tom continued. “I want that. I want that look with someone. I want the look you have when you’re with Jack and Elliot. The kind of love you all have for each other is so rare and I should be chasing after it, not running from it.”

“Tom, you have one of the biggest hearts in the world and I know if you open yourself up to it, love will find you.” She assured him. “Your Matt Casey is out there, I promise.”

Tom smirked and nodded his head. “Thanks.”

“So… do you really have to go?” she asked hopefully.

Tom nodded, “Yeah… I mean, I _was_ feeling sorry for myself but I do actually have to fly out to New York tonight.”

Sylvie nodded sadly, “Well I’m glad you could come at all. Please make it more regular.”

“Gladly. I love you sis.” He said as he pulled his little sister into his chest and hugged her tightly.

“I love you too.”


	48. You Can Let Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some Matt and Annie moments through the years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is pure fluff... but who doesn't love a bit of fluff every now and again? Set from when Annie is around 4 to when she is an adult. I hope you enjoy!

**You Can Let Go**

It was a Saturday morning in the Casey house and Matt was sitting at the kitchen table going over some construction plans while Annie twirled around the room. While Sylvie took the boys to soccer, Matt had just picked Annie up from her ballet class and she hadn’t stopped practising her moves since.

“Daddy, look at this one!” she said as Matt looked up from the table as Annie spun on the spot with a giggle, her blonde curls and pink tutu spinning with her.

Matt grinned, “Great spinning baby”

_“I know!”_ she said confidently as Matt let out a laugh at her boldness. He loved that his little girl was so sure in herself even at 4-years-old.

Matt managed to get a further 5 minutes of work done before Annie came over to him again.

“Daddy, I need you!” she said dramatically.

Matt’s face fell, instantly assuming something was wrong. “What’s up?”

“It’s tea time and Mr Bunny and Kitty Kat would like you to be the guest of honour.” She said with a serious nod. Annie loved a good tea party, and normally her brothers were the chosen guests of honour, but since they weren't here, her dad would have to do.

Matt set the papers in his hands down and eyed her just as seriously, “Well we better get going then, we don’t want to be late.” He said as Annie smiled widely and dragged Matt away and up to her bedroom.

Only a few moments later, Sylvie had arrived home with the boys, she instructed them to leave their dirty clothes in the utility room and head up to the shower before they got anymore mud anywhere. While they did that, she went searching for her husband and daughter. She frowned when they weren’t in the kitchen, living room or playroom.

_“Cheers daddy!”_

She heard Annie exclaim from upstairs and she smirked before following the sound. It appeared that tea time had started. Sylvie stood in the entrance to Annie’s bedroom and watched the amusing scene. Matt was perched awkwardly on one of the little chairs by her table, surrounded by Annie’s stuffed toys and tea party set.

“How’s your tea?” Annie asked as they drank the pretend liquid.

“Hm. Really good, best tea I’ve ever had.” He told her with a nod. “What about yours Mr Bunny?” he asked Annie’s toy.

Annie leaned forward as if she was listening to Mr Bunny whisper to her, “He says it’s good too.”

“And this cake, _wow…”_ he said as he pretended to eat it making Annie giggle.

It was then that Matt noticed Sylvie at the door. She gave him a light wave, not wanting to disrupt this father daughter moment. Matt nodded back at her before turning his attention back to Annie and enthusiastically continuing with the tea party. Sylvie loved how Matt threw himself into anything his kids asked him to do. He was always looking to make them smile - no matte how uncomfortable he was in the little chair right now.

For the next few weeks, Matt became Annie’s go-to tea party guest. Although Elliot and Jack always complained about being dragged to Annie’s tea parties, they were admittedly a little jealous that they’d been replaced by their dad. Matt just really made Annie laugh and she couldn’t get enough of it.

One particular Saturday, however, Matt came home from a morning construction job ready for his tea party, but it appeared he wasn’t invited this time. He made his way upstairs and heard some giggles that didn’t belong to his daughter. He opened the door slightly and saw Annie sitting with Brianna Cruz and Lizzie Severide. Naturally, since Annie was a year older, she was bossing the two other girls around and taking charge of their party.

“Hi girls” Matt said as they turned their heads around and smiled.

“Hi Uncle Matt!” “Hi dad!” they greeted happily.

Annie ran over to Matt and stood at his feet, “Daddy, Mr Bunny and Kitty Kat wanted Bri and Lizzie to join them today.

Matt nodded his head, “Well it’s only fair that everyone gets to go to your delicious tea parties”

Annie smiled and nodded, _“I know!”_ she said with her normally aura of confidence. “Daddy?"

"Yeah baby?"

"You can let go now." she said as she looked at his hand that remained firmly on the door handle. Matt held his hands up and Annie pushed her dad out of the room and closed the door over to give her and her friends some privacy. Matt stood at the door a little shocked, just as Sylvie came out of the bedroom.

“What’s going on?” Sylvie asked.

“Annie just pushed me out of her tea party. I’m no longer the guest of honour…” Matt grumbled.

Sylvie smirked, “Thought you had a few more years before you hit embarrassing dad phase with her, huh?”

Matt nodded, “I’ve been replaced” he said with a dramatic pout.

Sylvie looped her arm through his and pulled him towards the stairs. “She’s playing with friends, but you will always be her daddy.”

“Right… I’m irreplaceable.” He boasted proudly with a gulp. He pulled at the collar of his jumper before he and Sylvie went downstairs. As irreplaceable as Matt knew he was, he had a funny feeling that being replaced at tea-parties was only the beginning…

* * *

_“I can’t do it.”_ A 5-year-old Annie said with a pout as she and her family stood in the park.

“Yes you can baby, once you start you won’t be able to stop.” Matt encouraged as he bent down and picked up her bike, pushing it in front of her. For the past two days, Sylvie and Matt had spent the time teaching Annie how to ride a bike. Annie often find it frustrating when she couldn’t do something instantly, so she was just about ready to give up.

“I keep falling and grazing my elbow” Annie reminded him as she held it up.

Jack stuck out his knee at that point, “When I was learning to ride a bike, I feel off and got a stone lodged in my knee.” He said as he pointed at the scar.

Elliot took his turn and stuck out his chin, “When I was learning, I went flying over the handlebars and needed 4 stitches in my chin.”

Annie glared at them, “if you’re trying to convince me to get back on the bike, you’re doing a _terrible_ job at it.” She warned her brothers who took a step back, not wanting to get on their little sister’s bad side.

“Honey” Sylvie said as she bent down beside Matt and looked at Annie, “the boys are just trying to say that a few cuts and bruises are normal when riding a bike and when you get them, you’ll be ok. Daddy’s also right – once you get going you’ll never want to stop. You’ll gladly take those cuts and bruises because you’re having so much fun.”

“You can do anything you set your mind to Annie Casey” Matt encouraged further.

“It’s your first taste of _freedom_ Annie, enjoy it!” Jack told her. Sylvie playfully rolled her eyes. Freedom from what exactly? The burdens of being _five?_

Annie looked between her family before her eyes finally landed on Matt. His stare was full of encouragement. Annie trusted her parents more than anything and if they said she could do something, she knew that she could.

“Promise you won’t let go?” Annie quietly asked Matt.

Matt nodded his head, “Not until you’re ready.”

Annie took a deep breath before taking her bike off Matt and sitting on it. Matt held tightly onto the seat as she steadied her feet on the peddles.

“You ready?” he asked as Annie anxiously nodded her head. “Ok, just started moving the peddles, I’m right here.” He reminded her as the bike started to move off. “Keep peddling baby, build up that speed" he guided. He could see her confidence building by the second and she moved forward.

“Go Annie! You can do it!” her brother shouted from behind.

Annie smiled and giggled, “Daddy?"

"Yeah baby?"

"You can let go now!” she announced as she continued to peddle.

But Matt had already let go and was proudly watching her cycle ahead. It seemed like the simplest moment in the world, but Matt felt a wave of emotion sweep through him. It meant that his daughter was growing up. She was starting to do things without him and that was a big deal. Hearing her asking him to let go mattered deeply.

“You’re doing it baby!” Sylvie shouted as Annie looked backwards. Unfortunately, her look backwards caused her to lose her balance and she toppled over, causing her family to wince slightly. However, she got right back up again and waved enthusiastically at them.

They smiled at her and waved back. While they always knew it to be true, they were reminded in this moment that Annie’s fierce determination in life would always guide her and she could face anything that came her way.

* * *

“Ok have you got everything?” Sylvie asked Annie as they stood outside Annie’s college dorm.

Annie nodded her head, “I think so yeah.”

It was the Saturday before Annie was due to start freshman orientation at Northwestern. Annie, Matt and Sylvie had spent the morning and afternoon getting Annie moved into her dorm. While this was an incredibly exciting time, it was also a really emotional one – _especially_ for Sylvie. She’d cried _5 times_ already and Annie and Matt were expecting an even bigger cry when they actually said goodbye.

Matt was finding it hard too, but he was remaining quieter about it. He often did when he was feeling a little overwhelmed. He put his head down to get Annie moved in and he could deal with his emotions later.

“So… this is it” Sylvie said as she bit her lip and tried to steady her breathing.

Annie let out a little laugh, “Mom, I’m literally 30 minutes down the road…” she reminded her mother. She really wasn’t going that far. Much like Matt, the Casey kids were Chicago kids and they didn’t plan on leaving any time soon.

“I know, I know” Sylvie insisted. “It’s just the sentiment of it all. You’re our last baby and you’re going off the college and you’re just not our little Annie anymore and I—” she said as she started to blubber.

“Mom, come on” Annie said as she couldn’t help but laugh at her mother’s blubbering. Annie reached forward and hugged Sylvie tightly. “You and I both know that I’m going to end up like Elliot and Jack and come bother you two any chance I can get.” She said as Sylvie let out a little laugh. Elliot and Jack had insisted that when they went to college, they wouldn’t be coming home till the holidays – but they _always_ popped up unannounced. Jack in particularly was always scrounging for food.

“Don’t you dare.” Sylvie warned. “You’re here to have a good time, not constantly checking in on your aged parents, right honey?” she asked, nudging Matt with her elbow.

“Absolutely” Matt agreed.

Sylvie reached forward and hugged Annie one more time. “I love you. You are going to do great things here Annie Casey.”

“Thanks momma, I love you more” she told her as they pulled away from the hug.

Sylvie took a step back and allowed Annie to turn to her dad.

“So… you ready?” Matt asked as Annie crossed her arms and smiled with a nod.

“I think so… are you?” she asked. She knew he was finding this a lot harder than he was letting on – the look in his eyes gave him away.

Matt let out a laugh, “Ask me in a few weeks when the reality of you not being around the house really hits me.” He felt the absence of the boys deeply, so he knew Annie’s absence would be no different.

“Ok. Any parting advice?” she asked curiously. Her dad always had a few wise words for her at the big moments in life.

“Keep being bold Ann. Keep being bold and you’ll be unstoppable.” He told her. “Northwestern won’t know what’s hit them.”

Annie nodded her head as her eyes filled with tears. She was ready to take this next step in life and even though her parents were only 30 minutes down the road, she knew she would miss coming home everyday and telling them about her day and laughing with them about anything and everything. She launched forward and hugged her dad tightly. Matt hugged her just as tightly back, as if it was the last time he would get to do so.

“Dad?”

“Yeah baby?”

“You can let go now.” Annie said as Matt felt his heart sink a little. He knew she meant he could let go of their hug, but it meant something bigger and more symbolic to him. Over the years, she’d said that a few too many times for his liking, but he knew it was just a natural part of growing up. 

Matt reluctantly released her as she took a step back from her parents.

“Well… I will see you in few weeks” she said with a proud, beaming smile before turning around and walking towards her dorm.

Sylvie wrapped her arms around Matt’s torso as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. They watched as Annie interacted with a few people around her, being her bright self as always. They had no doubt she would make fast friends here.

“You ok?” Sylvie asked as she looked up at her husband.

“Yeah. You?”

“I’m proud of her.” Sylvie said as her blubbering turning to a beaming smile.

Matt smiled, “Me too.”

* * *

Annie stood in front of the long mirror in her bedroom, fixing her dress and making sure her veil was fastened securely on her head. It was her wedding day and already it felt like an out of body experience. She and her fiancée didn’t want a big wedding, so if was just their closest friends and family here today. They also decided to have it in Matt and Sylvie’s beautiful backyard. There was something oddly comforting and full circle for Annie that she was getting ready in her childhood bedroom. It hadn’t really changed since she’d left it when she was 18.

There was a light knock at the door as Annie turned her head to answer, “It’s open!” she called.

The door slowly opened, and Matt appeared behind it in his tux. He paused at the door as he took his daughter’s reflection in. Her blonde hair was immaculately curled, and her dress floated beautifully around her. She looked so like Sylvie and it made Matt’s heart skip a beat.

Annie turned around and looked at him, “What do you think?” she asked with a small smile.

Matt paused for a second, struggling to find the words. It seemed like her life had passed him in a whirlwind. He was the one who delivered her and saw her take her first breath in his quarters and now she was here in a wedding dress, ready to enter this next stage of her life.

“Dad?” she asked again as Matt snapped out of his trance.

“You look so beautiful.” He finally mustered out. It really didn’t do how he felt justice, but for now it would do.

“Thanks daddy.” she replied softly.

“Are you ready?” He asked. Though, he wondered if he should be asking himself that question more than her.

“Yeah… but before we go” Annie said as she stepped forward and grabbed his hand as he went to turn around. “I’ve already given mom her soppy speech and this is the sort of thing I feel like I should tell you more often but now seems a good a time as any…” she rambled as Matt looked at her with an amused smirk. He’d figured Sylvie and Annie had had a moment together when Sylvie came downstairs in a pile of tears. “The love that I have for you guys – it’s sometimes hard to put into words. The guidance and laughter and joy that you instilled in my life has made me the bold woman that I am today” she said as they both let out a little laugh. “And I can’t thank you enough for that. I know getting married feels like this separation but it’s not. I’ll always be your little Annie and you’ll always be my favourite person in the whole world.”

Matt’s eyes welled as he tried to keep his emotions in check. He wasn’t really a crier, but when it came to his kids, it was a little more difficult for him to hold back.

“I love you. I can’t wait for more of those love and joy filled moments.” He told her as he hugged her tightly. “Let’s get you married.”

Soon enough, Matt and Annie were standing at the top of the makeshift aisle with all eyes on them. Annie held tightly onto Matt’s arm as he began guiding her down the aisle. They smiled brightly as they walked past their immediate family, their 51 family and their extension of friends. Annie had Lizzie Severide and her best friend Jessica as her bridesmaids while her fiancée stood at the top with Jack and Elliot by his side.

They got the top of the aisle with everyone still beaming at them, and Matt still holding on tightly to her.

“Daddy?” Annie said in a whisper as she turned to him.

“Yeah baby?” he answered.

_“You can let go now.”_

Matt gulped as he released her hand and allowed her soon to be husband to take it. Before they turned to the officiant, Annie looked at her dad and smiled at him. In that moment, all Matt could see was the little girl who invited him to tea parties and ran around practising her dance moves in a bright pink tutu.

_“I love you”_ she whispered before turning back around, leaving Matt feeling even more emotional than before. He turned around and saw his wife’s eyes piercing through him with the most loving stare. He walked towards her and sat beside her, immediately taking her hand and kissing it as a way to comfort them both.

“You did good honey” she told him quietly as she kissed his cheek. “I told you this when she started having tea parties without you and I’ll remind you again – you will always be her dad. Nothing will ever change that.” She whispered.

Matt smiled, “I know.”

Over the years Annie had told him to let go more times than he could count – but he knew that he was never really letting go. He was just letting her grow and as a father, it was the most beautiful thing in the world to see.


	49. Bursting the Bubble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 50 chapters?! Insane! Thank you so much to everyone who is following this story. I'm having so much fun writing it and there's still plenty more to come. 
> 
> For now, Brett and Casey decide to reveal their relationship to the rest of the firehouse - but it doesn't quite go to plan.
> 
> Enjoy!

**Bursting the Bubble**

“Matt, we gotta go, we’re going to be late.” Sylvie said as she clipped her hair out of her face. She had fallen asleep at Matt’s last night, despite having every intention of going home, and now she was a little on edge. Nobody knew about their relationship. They’d managed to stay in their own little blissful bubble for a whole 4 weeks. It wasn’t that they didn’t want people to know, they were just enjoying each other’s company without the prying eyes of others.

Matt walked out of the closet and fixed the last button on his shirt. “We’ve got time” he said casually.

“No, we don’t. Especially if we want to sneak out before Stella and Severide see us” she reminded him.

Matt nodded courtly, “Why are we sneaking around again?”

Sylvie turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck, “Because we’re enjoying our bubble.”

“I do like our bubble” He agreed as Sylvie smiled. “Maybe we should just skip work and enjoy that bubble a little more…” he said as he picked her up causing her to squeal as her legs hooked around his waist.

“Matt!” she exclaimed through her laughter as they fell onto the bed and he immediately began working at the sweet spots on her neck. “Ok, _5 minutes.”_ She warned as her hands ran up his back.

Unfortunately, they only managed to get 20 seconds before there was a knock at the door and the handle twisted, “Hey Casey we gotta – _oh. Hi there._ ” Severide said with a smirk as he took in the scene in front of him.

Sylvie and Matt’s heads shot up in shock as the remained frozen in their position. So much for remaining in their bubble...

Sylvie let out an awkward laugh, “Uh – _hi.”_

“Stella, we have a guest!” Severide called as Matt collapsed on top of Sylvie and groaned.

“Oh god…” he mumbled as Sylvie couldn’t help but laugh. He rolled off her with a frustrated sigh, just as Stella appeared at the door, her face beaming when she inspected the scene.

“Well, would you lookie here…” she said as she crossed her arms and raised her brows. “You two are officially _busted_.”

“Wait” Matt said as he propped himself up on his elbows. “What do you mean officially busted? Have we been _unofficially_ busted at some point?”

“Oh, I’m sorry, did you expect me to act more surprised?” Stella asked sarcastically. Maybe their bubble hadn’t been as secure as they thought.

Severide let out a laugh, “You’re not exactly subtle Casey, you spend all day staring at each other.”

Sylvie opened her mouth to protest but closed it again. She couldn’t even deny that one. Her eyes spoke a thousand words and she knew they screamed _‘I love you’_ every time she looked at Matt.

“I would guess this has been going on for around… 3 weeks?” Stella guessed.

“Four.” Sylvie confessed.

“Oh _damn,_ a week after Cruz’s wedding?” Stella questioned as Sylvie nodded. "That explains a lot about the timeline…” Stella thought out loud, trying to put the pieces together. She remembered Casey walking away from Brett at the wedding and she remembered that they barely spoke to each other for a week. Now, she was getting definitive date on when all of this changed. She made a note to get more precise details from Brett later. “Well, I for one am glad you finally got your heads out of your asses and realised you’re perfect for each other.” Stella said proudly.

“And your secret is safe with us if you still want to stay in this bubble.” Severide told them. He knew all too well about wanting to keep things personal and private.

Matt nodded his head, “We appreciate it, thanks.” This situation was a mixture of awkward and great relief. Their best friends knew and it felt good to finally start moving to being together in the open. They didn’t want it to be a big deal and it shouldn’t be a big deal after all. However, now they were just awkwardly staring at one another, not really sure what to do next.

“We’re uh – we’re going to go.” Stella announced. “And we will see you love birds at work!” she said with wink before pushing Severide out the door and closing it behind them.

Matt and Sylvie collapsed back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. Their bubble was burst – and it felt _good_.

Sylvie turned her head to look at Matt, “We can’t keep doing this.”

Matt furrowed his brow, “I don’t know – I think sex is a pretty good reason to be late for work.” He joked.

Sylvie playfully rolled her eyes and lightly smacked his chest with the back of her hand, before he grabbed it and thread his fingers through hers.

“I mean – we can’t keep this a secret anymore.” She said as Matt nodded knowingly. “I want to be able to love you out in the open.”

“I’m glad you said that because it’s the Academy Dinner on Friday and I was looking for a date…”

“Oh yeah?” she asked as she quirked a brow.

“Yeah… you know anyone you could set me up with?” he teased.

_“Funny.”_ Sylvie said with a smirk as she sat up.

“It’s either that or I take the sexy blonde in my bed who is leading me down a path of lateness and sexual debauchery…” He said as he sat up and kissed her shoulder.

“Oh, she sounds fun, you’ll have to introduce me sometime.” She replied with a wink.

Matt grinned at her quick wit before climbing off the bed and pulling her up with him. “What do you say?”

Sylvie smiled softly, “I say – I love you and I don’t want to hide that.” She tilted her head up and lightly kissed him.

“Good” he mumbled against her lips as they smiled. “Let’s get out of here.” He said as she grabbed her jacket and followed him out of the door, ready to enter this next stage of their relationship.

* * *

After morning briefing, everyone at 51 packed into the lounge to grab some breakfast. As they all sat around the table, Hermann was silently observing. Specifically, he was silently observing Brett. He’d noticed something was different about her over the past few weeks, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what. He watched as she sat down with Foster and Kidd and began talking and laughing about something with them. She was _giggly_. Since when was Sylvie Brett _giggly_?

A few moments later, Sylvie looked up and realised Hermann was staring intensely at her. She frowned and stared right back at him.

“… you ok there Hermann?” she asked as everyone’s attention turned to the conversation that was about to take place.

Hermann set his fork down and leaned forward; “There’s something different about you Brett.”

“Different? Different how?” she asked with a little laugh.

“You just seem… lighter.” He commented, struggling to find the words to express his observations.

“Lighter? Wha-what does that even mean?” Sylvie asked growing more and more confused. She always considered herself a fairly light and optimistic person, but Hermann was acting like that had changed at some point.

“There’s just an _aura_ about you.” He said as he continued to eye her carefully.

“Brett” Cruz said as he too leaned forward, starting to put the pieces together. “Are you… in love?”

Sylvie choked on her eggs as Stella rubbed her back. Sylvie would see Matt smirking at the end of the table as he did some paperwork. He was loving watching her squirm. It was like he was just _waiting_ for her to craic.

But she _wouldn’t_. The agreed to reveal all at the Academy Dinner – now was not the time.

Once Sylvie had recovered from choking, she finally found the words to challenge Cruz, “What?”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s it!” Hermann said as it all clicked. “You’re in _love_. It’s written all over your face!”

“How is being in love written all over someone’s face?” she questioned. She already knew the answer to that. Severide had said as much this morning. It was in her eyes.

“It’s just the last time I saw you even a fraction of the happiness you are exuding right now is when you were dating Kyle. But I stress _fraction_ – you definitely weren’t this happy when you were with him.” Cruz made clear.

Sylvie shifted uncomfortably where she sat. Kyle wasn’t exactly a topic she loved to talk about. Matt on the other hand – he was _still_ smirking. _Smug asshole._ She wondered if he would be so smug if she outed them right here, right now.

“Well… are you? In love?” Mouch asked curiously as everyone’s eyes were on hers. Matt had now looked up from her paperwork. She looked down the table at him and watched as he raised his eyebrows, waiting to see what she said.

Sylvie stood and lifted her plate; “… maybe.” She said simply before walking back into the kitchen.

“Oh my god!” Cruz exclaimed as he stood up with an excited smile. “You so are!”

Sylvie merely shrugged. At first she was shocked at the questioning, but now she was kind of enjoying playing this game. It was her and Casey (and Severide and Stella’s…) secret and she enjoyed the power she had in keeping it that way.

“Captain!” Hermann exclaimed as Matt looked like a deer caught in headlights. “You’re a level-headed guy – tell us we’re not imagining things!”

Sylvie grinned, set her plate down, turned around, crossed her arms, and eagerly waited for his answer. _Time to watch him squirm instead._

“… Hermann’s right Brett.” He said confidently. “He must be a pretty great guy if you’re this happy.” He teased.

Sylvie smirked, “Yeah he’s ok.”

Matt raised an eyebrow, “Just ok?”

“I’m not really in the business of inflating anyone’s ego Captain.”

“Go on Brett” Foster pleaded. “Tell us about him. Please.”

“… alright." she conceded. "Yeah, I am head over heels in love. I am in love in a way that I didn’t think was possible to love.” She said with a soft smile that everybody couldn’t help but return. Brett had been through a lot over the past year and they wanted nothing more than to see her happy. “He’s charming and compassionate and wise and smart and probably the best person I know” she said with a little laugh. “And I know he’s it for me. He’s the one and all the pain and heartbreak that it took to get us here was entirely worth it.”

“When you know you know, right?” Hermann said quietly as Sylvie nodded her head and looked at Matt who was staring at her with intensely loving eyes. Their back and forth had been a little bit fun, but now he had just been reminded about how much he loved her and how he knew he always would.

“Exactly” Sylvie replied as Matt stood from his chair and walked towards her. Everyone looked a little confused by the intensity of Casey’s movements, but could only watch on as he stepped towards Brett, rested his hands on her cheeks and kissed her.

Everyone’s mouth’s fell open for a moment - before the realisation dawned on them that this made _perfect sense_. They didn’t even feel the need to ask questions about this moment. Their hearts were so _good_ and they fit and they could just tell they were meant to be all along.

Casey pulled pack a little as Brett looked at him a little shocked. This definitely wasn’t the plan they had for bursting their bubble – it was _better_ than the plan. They smiled at each other and let out a little laugh as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her against his chest.

“When you know you know” Matt repeated as everyone smiled to themselves and turned back to their breakfast. They didn’t feel the need to say anything. They didn’t feel the need to make a big deal. They loved how in love their friends were – and that was all that mattered.


	50. A Fowlerton Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt and Sylvie spend their first Christmas together in Fowlerton.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you mvo60 for the idea for this chapter! I wasn't sure what I wanted to write next and then you suggested this and I just got really into it - so I hope I did it justice!!

**A Fowlerton Christmas**

Sylvie walked out onto the apparatus floor and spotted Matt doing some inventory on the truck. She awkwardly walked towards him. She had something to ask him, and she knew it wasn’t that big of a deal but at the same time – it really felt like a big deal.

_“So_ ” she said as she leaned against the truck and smiled at him “I was wondering…”

“Hi” he greeted with an eyebrow quirk.

Sylvie smirked. She had a habit of beginning odd conversations with him without saying hi. She’d done it when she tried to set him up with Olivia.

“ _Hi…_ ” she greeted as he grinned at her. “I was wondering… what are your plans for Christmas?” she asked cautiously. It was their first Christmas together and she wanted to spend it with him, but she wanted to test the waters on how he felt about Christmas first. Some people just weren’t really into it (but she sincerely hoped that wasn’t the case – she _loved_ Christmas. Especially a Brett family Christmas.)

“I don’t know.” He said with a shrug. “I normally see Christie and Violet at some point.” He said, sounding unenthused about the whole thing. “And of course I want to spend it with _you_ but I know you spend your Christmases in Fowlerton.” He said, not wanting to assume anything. He knew Sylvie loved Christmas and while he was largely indifferent to the holiday, he would gladly get on board with it for her.

“Well Fowlerton Christmases are infamous…” she joked.

Matt smiled; “So I’m told.” Sylvie always had the craziest stories to tell about her family Christmases. The most outstanding memory being the time Sylvie broke Tom’s nose in a boxing day game of football. The Bretts did _not_ kid around when it came to football.

“I uh - I would love it if you could come with me to Fowlerton” she said as Matt turned to face her, stopping his inventory. “I know it’s a lot, but you’ve met my parents and my brother and they would _love_ it if you came too and I promise to ward off my crazy aunts and uncles and cousins—"

“Sylvie – I’d love to.” He cut her off.

Sylvie beamed; “Really?”

“Yeah, why do you sound so surprised?” he asked with a little chuckle.

“It’s not that, I just – I’ve just never had a guy in my house at Christmas.” she revealed.

Matt frowned, “Not even Harrison?”

Sylvie shook her head, “He and his family always went to Turks and Caicos at Christmas. Never got an invite to that one…” she said with a click of her tongue. It was probably a blessing in disguise not to have to spend extended periods of time with Harrison and his overbearing family, but to a 19-year-old Sylvie Brett it was _so_ unfair. “I wouldn’t have gone anyway. I couldn’t miss my Aunt Audrey’s Christmas pudding. It's _Insane_.” She bragged.

“I can’t wait to try it” he told her gladly. Sylvie silently nodded. They both had a funny feeling that this might be their best Christmas yet.

* * *

After working Christmas eve, Sylvie and Matt left 51 on Christmas day and headed straight to Fowlerton so spend next two days with the Bretts before they were due back at the fire station. Sylvie had been talking a mile a minute from the moment they got into the car. She was so excited to get to Fowlerton. However, she was also aware that a Brett family Christmas could often be overwhelming, so she was doing her best to ease Matt about it all.

“You’ve met my parents and Tom and my grandma Annie will be there, you’ve seen her on video chat” Sylvie reminded him with a nod. “I think Tom’s girlfriend Samantha is coming at some point – that is assuming they haven’t broken up with the second time… or is the third…” she pondered for a moment before shaking her head. “Doesn’t matter. Then there’s my aunt Audrey and her husband Richard, my aunt Tina, Uncle Bobby, cousins Grant, Bonnie, Wendy and Harvey, I assume they’ll all bring their kids too—” she rambled before Matt moved his hand from the gear stick to rest on hers.

“Babe, it’ll be fine” Matt said. At this stage he was the one having to assure her. He could tell that she was nervous.

Sylvie turned to look at him and gave him a tight-lipped smile, “I know. I just want you to have a good time and not feel out of place.”

Matt was about to reassure her again, but Sylvie saw the sign for Fowlerton and began directing him to her parent’s house. They soon pulled up the long drive and Matt parked behind Tom’s Range Rover. They got out of the car and Matt took a moment to admire the house in front of him. It was a typical Indiana farmhouse with a wraparound porch and situated on a beautiful piece of land.

“So this is where Sylvie Brett grew up…” He said as he looked at his girlfriend who folded her arms and nodded.

“This holds a heck of a lot of memories… and secrets.” She teased. “Come on, let’s get inside” she said before walking on.

Matt frowned, “… what kind of secrets?”

Sylvie merely smirked back at him as she opened the front door and called for her parents.

“Mom? Dad?”

Matt could hear some shouting and greetings being thrown in Sylvie’s direction. He smiled to himself before following her into the house. He soon saw practically every member of Sylvie’s family waiting to hug her and stood back happily watching the reunion. He knew Sylvie loved her life in Chicago, but he also know that she missed Fowlerton sometimes. It was a welcomed break every now and again from the business of Chicago life.

“Oh Matt, hi!” Martha greeted excitedly as she walked forward and hugged her daughter’s boyfriend tightly. “We are so glad you could come. I cooked far too much food for dinner this afternoon, so we needed that extra mouth to feed!”

Matt chuckled, “Thank you for having me.”

“Oh nonsense, you're welcome in Fowlerton anytime, Christmas or not.” She said as Peter walked forward and shook Matt’s hand.

“We apologise in advance for the chaos you’re about to become a part of” Peter apologised quietly.

“Oh, I don’t mind” he said honestly. It had been a long time since he’d enjoyed a chaotic family reunion – and he had a funny feeling the ones he had as a kid could never live up to a Brett gathering.

Sylvie finally finished greeting all of her family members, apart from her grandma who was resting in the living room, and took the opportunity to introduce everybody to Matt.

“Everyone this is my boyfriend, Matt Casey” she said with a smile. She loved saying that he was hers.

“It’s lovely to meet you Matt. When Martha told us Sylvie had a boyfriend, we never expected you to be so handsome!” Sylvie’s aunt Audrey joked as Matt blushed and scratched the back of his neck with an awkward laugh

“Ok, let’s not go full Brett on him, he just got here” Tom said with a laugh as he shook Matt’s hand. “How you doing Captain?”

“I’m good” he responded.

“Matt, come in here, I want you to meet my grandma” Sylvie said excitedly as she grabbed Matt’s hand and pulled him into the Brett’s good room. “Hi Grandma!”

“Oh Sylvie! I was wondering what all that commotion out there was about, I should have guessed it was you.” Annie said as Sylvie hugged her as she sat in her armchair. “My hearing just isn’t what it used to be.”

Sylvie knelt beside her, keeping a hold of her grandmother’s hand. “Well it’s a good thing you’re still young at heart.”

“And I always will be” Annie said with a wink before looking up and seeing Matt standing there. “Matt. It’s nice to finally meet you in the flesh!”

Matt stepped forward as Annie grabbed his hand “It’s very nice to meet you Mrs Mayfield.”

“Oh please, call me Annie.” She insisted. “Mrs Mayfield makes me sound _much_ older than I actually am” she teased Matt smiled and chuckled in return.

“Sylvie was telling me on the way here that you’re a great singer, especially at Christmas” Matt said.

“Oh, no such truth in that…” she scolded with a tut at her granddaughter.

“Grandma you have a _beautiful_ voice. My favourite part of Christmas is when you sing Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas before we go to bed.” Sylvie reminded her softly. It brought Sylvie so much comfort over the years and she knew it was a memory she would carry with her for the rest of her life.

“I can’t wait to hear it.” Matt said sincerely as Annie smiled. Matt could see Annie was a little emotional at the thought. It sounded like a beautifully tender moment, and he felt privileged he would get to be a part of it.

Matt felt someone tug at his arm as he turned around and saw four of Sylvie’s cousin's kids standing behind him with smiles on their faces.

“Mr Matt, will you come outside and play football with us?” Andrew asked as they all looked at him with hopeful eyes.

“Yeah, that sounds fun” Matt said immediately with an appropriate amount of enthusiasm in his voice. Any chance he got to play with kids, he took. “It you ladies will excuse me” he said to Sylvie and Annie as they gladly nodded their heads and watched as Matt was dragged out of the room by the kids.

Annie watched as Sylvie’s eyes stayed on the door for a moment longer after Matt had left. It was in that instant Annie knew. She knew that Sylvie as hopelessly in love with Matt and she always would be.

“I think you’ve met your match Sylvie” Annie said quietly as Sylvie’s turned back to look at her grandma.

“You know that from talking to him for 5 minutes?” Sylvie asked with a little chuckle. Annie was totally right, she _had_ met her match, but she wondered how her grandma could tell after meeting him very briefly on video call and for 5 minutes in the flesh.

“Oh Sylvie… I’ve spent many years on this earth, you think I don’t know how to spot two soul mates?” she asked as Sylvie smiled knowingly. “Plus – your smile gave you away the moment you walked into the room. How did you know that you loved him?” Annie asked. She was a hopeless romantic and she loved the tales people had to tell.

Sylvie thought about it for a moment before turned back to Annie. “Loving him is as easy as breathing.” She said simply as Annie nodded knowingly. It was a simple explanation, but it was filled with so much meaning.

“I always did say that life may be hard, but love should never be.” Annie agreed. Sylvie nodded. She remembered her grandma telling her that from a young age and she’d kept it with her ever since. Her grandma's voice was ringing in her ear when she was trying to figure out her feelings for Matt and it had proved to be the most perfect advice in that moment.

* * *

The rest of the day went swimmingly. After a family game of football, Martha served up Christmas dinner. Matt hadn’t had a feast like it in his life – Martha wasn’t joking about cooking a heck of a lot of food. After that, things started to slow down as sleepiness set in from the food. They played some games, had some eggnog, and just spent time together as a family, laughing and joking about anything and everything. Matt was so grateful that they made him feel so at home throughout the day.

As promised, to round off the evening, Grandma Annie sang Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas to her family. Matt wrapped his arms around Sylvie’s shoulders from behind and kissed her head before resting his cheek against her head.

_Through the years we all will be together_ _  
If the fates allow  
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough  
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now_

Matt looked down at Sylvie as the song came to an end and watched as a tear trickled down Sylvie’s cheek. He could also hear to emotion behind Grandma Annie’s voice as she sung to them. It was clear that Sylvie admired her grandma so much and it was hard not to get emotional at a sweet rendition of a very sweet song.

“You ok?” he whispered in her ear.

Sylvie nodded and turned her head to look at him, “Yeah, you?”

“Yeah.” He replied simply, not able to find the words to explain just how good being here with the Bretts felt. He kissed her lightly before hugging her that little bit tighter, making a note to tell her when they were alone.

* * *

Before long, Matt and Sylvie managed to sneak away to bed. It had been a full-on day especially off the back of shift, so they were feeling pretty tired. Matt followed Sylvie into her childhood bedroom and started laughing immediately.

_“Wow…_ ” he mocked as he looked around her. The room was very pink and covered in all kinds of high school memorabilia and teen magazine posters of her celebrity crushes. “It’s cute.”

“Don’t be mean” she said with a pout as he looked at all the photos she had stuck up around her dressing table mirror. “I’m amazed my parents haven’t touched this room, mom has been threatening for _years_ to turn it into a den for her painting.” She said. Martha was a wonderful artist and the paintings around their home proved it. Sylvie’s room also had a beautiful view out onto the farm land, so it was the perfect spot for some peaceful painting.

“They must have found it harder to let you go than they anticipated.” Matt suggested.

Sylvie nodded, “Yeah, must have done.”

“So uh… did you ever have any boys in here?” Matt asked as he quirked an eyebrow and walked towards her.

Sylvie let out a breathy laugh, “No actually. I knew better, any funny business was kept _away_ from the Brett house.” She said.

“Well I am honoured to be the first boy you’ve brought here.” he said as he pulled at her waist, so their chests were flush against each other’s.

Sylvie wrapped her hand around the back of his neck, her other resting on his forearm, “You’re the _only_ boy I ever want in here.” She told him sincerely.

“Good.” He replied as he bent down and kissed her lightly and lovingly. “I had a really great day today.”

Sylvie smiled. “I’m glad… I know you’re not big on Christmas, so I hope this didn’t put you off it even more.” She joked. “My family can be intense.”

_“All_ families can be intense. Yours is a _good_ intense.” He assured her. “Your grandma also might be one of the best people I have ever met”

Sylvie beamed widely. “She’s amazing. She’s been through so much – her husband, my grandpa, was her absolute soul mate. He died when my mom was only a year or two old… and she never really got over it. Never married again, just raised my mom and my uncle.” She told him. “Despite that… Her spirit and joy for life remained contagious. She also remained a hopeless romantic. I’m not sure there’s anything she loves more than a good love story.” She added as Matt chuckled.

“Have you told her ours?” he asked.

Sylvie nodded, “Just the beginning. I don’t think ours is complete yet.”

Matt stared down at her for a moment before brushing a piece of hair out of her face. “No. It’s just getting started.” He agreed before she turned around and collapsed backwards onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. Matt followed suit and they lay there in a comfortable silence for a moment before Matt turned around and looked at her.

“I uh – I never had a Christmas like this growing up." he began to confess. "If it wasn’t my mom and dad fighting it was my mom and Christie. We never really did presents because we didn’t have the money and we certainly didn’t play games and laugh like you guys do.” He confessed as Sylvie turned to look at him. She didn’t say anything. She just wanted to give him the space to say whatever was on his mind. “I know you find it overwhelming at times but – it’s really special. You've made me love Christmas today and I hope that one day we have Christmases like this with our own family.”

Sylvie looked surprised. A good surprised, but a surprised none the less. They’d never spoken about having a family together. They were both aware it was something they wanted someday, but this was the first time they’d explicitly addressed having one together.

“Our own family huh?” she asked quietly. She loved nothing more than the idea of building that life with him.

“I don’t want to experience anything without you there to experience it with me. I want it _all_ with you. I want the kids and the town house and the dog in the basket in the corner.” He joked as Sylvie rolled over and snuggled into his chest. “I always wondered why it never happened for me over the years. I had the chances, but nothing ever worked out – but I get it now. It didn’t happen then because it was meant to happen with _you_. I just had to learn to be patient.” He said with a chuckle.

“I can’t imagine my future without you Matt Casey.” She whispered as he kissed her head delicately. She wanted all the same things that he wanted and it made her heart soar.

“Well – our future starts now. I love you.”

“I love you too.” She said before they both drifted off into a blissful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Annie Casey is named after Sylvie's romantic, spirited, joyful grandma!
> 
> I also really want to write a chapter on a Casey family Christmas with the kids, so stayed tuned for that...


	51. Traditions Old and New

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone.
> 
> This morning I woke up with the intention of posting the next chapter this evening, but everything I've seen on Twitter today in the Chicago fandom has been weighing really heavily on my heart and took away any drive I had to write. I cannot fathom how people could use such an important cause and movement as a veil to spout unfounded hatred towards another person. It goes against everything this movement stands for and it is so disheartening and upsetting.
> 
> That being said - I didn't want to let it stop the good in this fandom. There are some truly lovely people on this site that I have adored interacting with over the past few months and the stories people have had to tell have been a real joy to read. I hope they continue and that people continue to enjoy this little piece of fluff I have to offer as well. So I read some fics, I watched some episodes of CF and I reminded myself why I chose to write this story in the first place. It is something fun for us all to enjoy.
> 
> It's so easy to hide behind a screen, but I implore you to be kind to one another and remember the values of this movement before choosing the drag a good person through the mud. I have reported anything hateful against Kara I have seen on Twitter and I would encourage you to do the same if you are able. 
> 
> I do not want to give this hate anymore attention, so I won't be posting about it again. This is just a little encouragement to everyone in this fandom to keep being kind and embracing the fun this TV world has to offer. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy another little chapter of Christmas joy :)
> 
> E x

**Traditions Old and New**

Sylvie slowly opened her eyes on Christmas morning and took a minute to take in her surroundings. She sighed contentedly when she felt Matt pressed against her back and his arm wrapped securely around her waist. She loved quiet mornings like this. They didn’t get many of them. Normally, their kids woke up before they did or one of them had to go into work early, so she was determined to make it last as long as she could.

Sylvie turned around and snuggled her head into his bare chest as Matt stirred awake.

“Good morning” he grumbled as he placed a kiss against her head.

“Good morning” she replied with a smile against his skin.

Suddenly, Matt rolled over, so Sylvie was beneath him. He carefully hovered above her and watched as she smiled, biting her bottom lip. Most days, neither of them could believe the life they had together and the love they had for each other only got stronger every day. Matt couldn’t help but stare in wonder at his wife. He loved falling asleep with her and he loved waking up with her. It seemed like the simplest thing in the world, and in many ways, it was, but over the years they’d learnt to cherish the little things in life.

Matt lowered himself slightly, their noses brushing before he softly kissed her. They smirked against each other’s lips before Sylvie deepened the kiss. She ran her hands up his back, up his neck and into his short, messy hair. Her breathing became heavier as his hands ran up her thighs, spreading them apart, allowing him to sink closer towards her. His body was pressed hard against hers but it still felt like he wasn’t close enough.

Before things could go much further, Matt and Sylvie were brought back to reality when they heard something fall downstairs with a crash. Matt rolled away from Sylvie quickly as Sylvie covered her face with her hands, not sure that she wanted to know what was going on downstairs.

“I knew it was too good to be true to expect them to stay asleep on Christmas day…” she grumbled as Matt climbed out of bed. This wouldn’t be the first time the boys had gotten their almost two-year-old sister out of her crib and caused some mayhem downstairs.

Matt slipped a t-shirt over his head and left Sylvie to get dressed while he went downstairs to investigate. He followed the noise into the kitchen and peaked into the room. Annie was standing behind her brothers with a woolly hat, coat and winter boots on while Elliot was standing with Jack on his shoulders as he tried to reach the latch at the top of the back door to open it. Matt then knew that the crash they’d heard was Elliot dropping Jack at some point.

He watched for a few more seconds as they failed to open the latch, before clearing his throat, folding his arms and waiting for their response.

Annie was the first to turned around. She grinned and giggled when she saw her dad, not quite realising that they’d been caught.

“Hi daddy” she said happily with a wave.

“Hi baby” He replied as Elliot slowly turned around with Jack still on his shoulders. They looked like deer caught in headlights.

“… hi dad” they said at the same time with the exact same intonation. They could be scarily alike when they wanted to be.

 _“Hi._ What’s going on?” he asked curiously.

“We were just going to check out the snow” Jack told him.

“Don’t worry, we’ve got our hats and gloves and coats and shoes on” Elliot said with a nod. It was true, Elliot and Annie looked like they were ready for the snow – but not Jack.

“Jack, where are your shoes?” Matt asked.

Jack looked down at his feet and wiggled his toes as Elliot clapped a hand against his forehead with a sigh.

 _“Oops…”_ Jack merely said with a sheepish grin. It appeared that in his excitement to sneak out into the snow, he’d forgotten the most important part. It was yet another prime example of Elliot being a thinker and Jack being a doer.

“Boys, you know not to go out into the snow without us” Matt sternly told them as Sylvie came into the room.

“What’s going on?” she asked as Annie rushed towards her mom and reached her arms up. Sylvie picked the little girl up, taking off her hat smoothing out her unruly blonde curls.

“They were just going to go play in the snow.” Matt told her as he lifted Jack off Elliot’s shoulders, seeing that his son was getting uncomfortable with the positioning.

Sylvie frowned, “Why didn’t you wake us? We would have come out with you.”

Jack shrugged, “We just wanted a bit of an adventure...”

“We didn’t want to bother you either, we’re big boys now.” Elliot said confidently. “Well – _I am._ Jack can’t seem to remember to put shoes on…” he grumbled as Jack shoved him lightly.

“Next time – wake us, ok?” Matt warned as the boys nodded their heads. Matt bent down in front of his boys and looked at them seriously – before breaking out into a wide smile. “Merry Christmas twinnies” he said as the boys giggled.

“Merry Christmas dad” they said before launching at him and hugging him. Matt lifted them both up and turned to Sylvie and Annie. “I think we should probably check if Santa made a visit, right momma?”

Sylvie nodded, “Yeah, I thought I heard some reindeer on the roof but I wasn’t so sure…” she joked as the boys scrambled out of Matt’s arms and bolted into the living room. In their excitement over the snow, they’d totally forgotten about the presents.

They beamed as they saw the gifts sitting out in piles around the room for them.

 _“He came…”_ Jack said in a wondrous whisper before they sat down by their gifts.

Seeing his kids faces on Christmas morning was one of the reasons why this holiday quickly became one of Matt’s favourite holidays. After his first Christmas in Fowlerton with Sylvie, they began establishing their own traditions that were rooted in Sylvie’s and evolved over time as they got married and had their babies. They always took some extra furlough at Christmas now. They spent Christmas eve and Christmas morning in Chicago before travelling to Fowlerton until Boxing Day morning and then travelling back to Chicago. That way, they could spend time with their Chicago family and their Fowlerton family.

It didn’t take long before the Casey living room was covered in gift wrap and toys. While the boys raced around the room on their new scooters, Annie had received a toy medical kit. As Matt ate his cereal, Annie was constantly poking him with the gadgets from the set and sticking bandages and plasters on him. Even when he insisted he was 'all better' she _wasn't_ so convinced and kept going, much to Matt's amusement.

Sylvie came into the room with her own bowl of cereal and was almost knocked over by Jack and Elliot.

“Boys if you can’t ride those sensibly inside then you won’t ride them at all.” She warned as the boys nodded in agreement and slowed down. Sylvie was adamant that they would only be riding their scooters outside, but since it was snowing, she allowed them to use them carefully in the living room for the time being. It seemed unfair that they'd gained this new toy and couldn't use it.

Sylvie plonked down beside Matt. “I think I should probably give up all hope of those scooters ever being taken outside…” she grumbled.

Matt chuckled, “The snow will let up eventually.”

Jack suddenly dropped his scooter at his feet and turned to his parents, “When do Uncle Sev and Aunt Stella and Lizzie get here?” he whined.

“And Aunt Emily and Uncle Joe and Aunt Chloe and Leo and Bri” Elliot added. The twins hadn’t stopped talking about their 51 family joining them this Christmas.

“They’re coming on Boxing Day, remember? We’re going to Fowlerton today.” Matt reminded them.

“Speaking of, we need to down this cereal and get ready” Sylvie said only now realising the time. It was a long enough drive to Fowlerton, so the sooner they set out the better. She took a quick few mouthfuls of cereal before scooping Annie under her arm and carrying her upstairs to get ready – she was definitely the easiest of their three kids to get ready for the day.

Matt sighed when he realised what his wife had done. Of _course_ she would have him deal with their boisterous boys.

“Very sneaky Brett…” He grumbled as he set his cereal bowl sown and turned to the twins. “Ok twinnies, time to get dressed.”

“No way, we just opened our toys!” Elliot protested.

“And they’ll be waiting for you when you’re done, but we have to go see grandma and grandpa.” He reminded them. “Plus – Aunt Audrey’s Christmas pudding.” He bargained as the twins ears perked up. Sylvie had been right all those years ago when she said the dessert her aunt made was insane. The twins _loved_ it.

 _“Sold!”_ Jack said quickly as he dropped the toy in his hand and bolted upstairs with Elliot quickly behind him.

Well, that was easier than he thought it would be.

* * *

After a long car journey that involved two shouting matches and _three_ tantrums, Matt and Sylvie had never been more grateful to be in Fowlerton. They did, however, feel _minorly_ bitter when the kids were total _angels_ for their grandparents, especially for the headaches they gave their parents this morning and in the car.

By the time the evening rolled around, all was essentially forgotten. After a day of good food and family games, the Bretts and Caseys were snuggled in the living room by the fire, enjoying the last few hours of Christmas is a comfortable quietness. Sylvie lay against Matt, snuggled under the blanket with a sleepy Annie in her lap. She absentmindedly ran her fingers through her silky blonde curls as the little girl fought to keep her eyes open.

Sylvie and Matt looked across the room and watched as Jack and Elliot were squished into their grandpa’s sides as he read them a story. It was the quietest they had been all day and their eyes lit up every time Peter read the story in a silly voice. They adored their grandparents and they were totally captivated by Peter's enthusiastic story telling. As the story came to an end, Peter closed the book and looked at his grandsons.

“Alright twinnies – I think it’s time for my favourite part of the evening” he said as he looked up at Sylvie knowingly.

Sylvie smiled softly at her father before slowly moving Annie into Matt’s lap without disturbing their almost asleep daughter. She moved over to the piano where her mother was already sitting as everyone turned their attention to her.

“It’s been almost 8 years since we lost grandma” Sylvie began. Matt’s first Christmas with Grandma Annie had also been his last as she passed away the following summer. “I think it’s safe to say that we miss her everyday. I really miss her storytelling and her beautiful voice that she shared every Christmas day with us. I know over the past 8 years I have never really been able to do her favourite song justice – but I hope it can spark even a little bit of joy this Christmas time.” She said as everyone smiled brightly. Sylvie had definitely inherited Annie’s beautiful voice, so it seemed fitting that she took over this perfect Christmas tradition.

_Through the years we all will be together_ _  
If the fates allow  
Hang a shining star upon the highest place  
So have yourself a merry little Christmas now_

Matt looked over at his boys as Sylvie sang and saw them staring at her with such wonder in their eyes. Sylvie Brett had all three of her boys hooked around her little finger – and they wouldn’t have it any other way. Matt wished that his kids got to meet Grandma Annie. He knew they would have adored each other. But he was so thankful that her spirit lived on in Sylvie – and he had no doubt that her namesake would carry the same infectious joy for life and love that inspired him everyday.


	52. Full Circle Moments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sylvie and Matt get flirty and have a surprising run in at Molly's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! 
> 
> Thank you SO much for all your wonderfully kind and encouraging comments for last chapter. They were a joy to read and it was so nice chatting with some of you. I'm really looking forward to sharing the next few chapters with you. 
> 
> For now - Sylvie and Matt are enjoying a rare night out at Molly's. Enjoy!
> 
> NOTE - the chapter mentions some events in chapter 17 'Grocery Stores and Wooden Barns' so check it out for a refresher!
> 
> NOTE 2 - I've added something at the very start of this story, so check it out!

**Full Circle Moments**

“Well, would you look who it is, mom and dad have graced us with their presence!” Hermann announced from the bar as Matt and Sylvie walked into Molly’s with smirks on their faces. Since their boys were born three years ago, nights out at Molly’s with their friends had been few and far between. Sylvie was always anxious about leaving them with a sitter, but Matt managed to convince her to leave them with his niece Violet for the evening while they went for just a few drinks.

“Remind me” Mouch said as he stood up and walked towards them. “… when did you two get boring?” he teased as Matt shoved his shoulder lightly.

“I don’t know what you guys are talking about. Nights at home with our boys are _super_ fun.” Matt joked as Hermann handed him and Sylvie two beers. He loved his boys with all his heart, but he was incredibly grateful for this night away with his wife and friends. Jack and Elliot were currently obsessed with being flown around the room in Matt’s arms like they were airplanes and it was truly _exhausting._ He and Sylvie joked that as a firefighter, he should be able to handle it, but it was a different kind of tired and his body didn’t agree with it.

“Fun or not” Sylvie interrupted. “We are here to have a good time tonight so Hermann – please keep the drinks coming.” She practically begged as everyone jokingly cheered for their friends.

Matt wrapped his arm around Sylvie’s waist and whispered in her ear, “It’s been a while since you’ve been tipsy Brett.” He teased as she felt him smile against her ear.

Sylvie quirked an eyebrow, “Oh yeah? What’s it to you if I do get tipsy?” she asked.

“You’re a very flirty drunk” he reminded her as Sylvie instantly blushed. She need not look any further than the incident with her brother 2 years ago when she bragged about Matt’s ass in the middle of Molly’s.

Sylvie turned to face her husband and fiddled with his collar, “Well, if you play your cards right – I might just choose to flirt with you” she said as their lips hovered dangerously close to one another’s.

“Noted” Matt replied. He moved to kiss her, but Sylvie teasingly pulled back, patted his chest and walked over to the bar to speak to Stella.

Matt smirked. _Let the games begin._

* * *

A little while later, Sylvie was sitting at a table with Cruz, Mouch and Mackey. They were listening to Mouch tell some crazy stories from his youth and Sylvie couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed so much. Being here with her 51 family was the greatest feeling and she made a mental note to remind herself that it was a good thing to spend time with them when she could and that the boys would be ok without her and Matt for a night or two here and there.

Sylvie excused herself from the table and went over to the bar and ordered a glass of rose from Hermann. She lifted out her phone to check in with Violet when she heard someone come and stand beside her.

“So, you come here often?” the voice asked.

Sylvie internally rolled her eyes and turned to flash her wedding rings at this guy, but as soon as she realised who it was, her eyes widened, and her mouth fell open in shock.

 _“Kyle?”_ she asked as Kyle Sheffield grinned back at her.

“Hi Sylvie”

“Oh my god, hi!” she greeted before leaning forward and giving him a semi-awkward hug. She wasn’t really sure what the appropriate greeting was here. She’d left him high and dry in Anderson almost 6 years ago and they had barely spoken since. The only time she’d heard anything about him was when Hope told her they were _engaged_ on an infamous trip to Fowlerton two years ago.

“I uh – I didn’t mean to weird you out there.” He apologised. “It was a joke. A dumb one, but a joke none the less.” He rambled.

Sylvie shook her head and let out a laugh, “It’s cool, really. So, what brings you to Chicago?” 

“I’m running a conference with the National First Responder and Peer Support Initiative over the weekend.” He explained.

“Oh, that’s really great! The job’s going well then?” she asked politely.

“Six years in and no regrets.” He confirmed with a nod. “I uh, I also got married” he said as he flashed his ring proudly with an slightly awkward laugh. Sylvie was wondering when this one would come up.

Sylvie smiled, “I heard! I mean, I knew you were engaged because I ran into Hope a couple years back. Congrats.” She said a little awkwardly. While she was glad Kyle and Hope were happy, it was still a little strange to think that they were married. They seemed like polar opposites, but maybe that’s why it worked.

“Thanks. I didn’t realise you saw Hope in Fowlerton I assume?” He questioned.

Sylvie looked at him curiously, “Yeah, she didn’t tell you?” Kyle shook his head. “We ran into her the grocery store.”

“We?” he questioned.

Sylvie quirked her head. Had he really no clue what had been going on her in life for the past 6 years? Did he not know she was married and a mom? Sylvie opened her mouth to reveal all when Matt walked over looking at his phone.

“Honey I just rang Violet, the boys are fine, but she banned me from ringing her again. She threatened to set my _mother_ on me—” Matt said, cutting off his sentence when he looked up and saw who Sylvie was talking to. “Chaplain. Hey.” he greeted, entirely surprised. They shook hands as Kyle gave him a stiff smile.

“Matt. It’s good to see you” he said as he awkwardly cleared his throat and stood up a little straighter.

Sylvie couldn’t remember a time when she felt more awkward. Kyle really had _no_ clue? Sylvie moving on was _definitely_ something Hope would like to brag about…

“Are you two—” he began to ask but couldn’t quite find the words.

Matt and Sylvie began awkwardly explaining over the top of one another. Something about being married, 4 or so years. When they finally stopped rambling, Kyle merely grinned at them.

“What is it?” Sylvie asked, wondering what crossed his mind in that moment to warrant a smirk.

“Nothing it’s just – it makes sense.” He said with a knowing nod.

“What do you mean?” Sylvie pried further as she and Matt furrowed their brows in curiosity. Yeah, it did make a lot of sense, it made all the sense in the _world_ to them – but Kyle hadn’t been around them in 6 years – how did it make sense to him?

“I saw the way you two looked at each other – even when you didn’t realise it yourself.” He said with a little shrug. From the moment Brett tried to help Casey when he was shot at, Kyle saw something between them. At the time, it seemed like a good friend helping another friend out, but looking back, it was the beginning of so much more.

He also wasn’t oblivious to the look in Matt’s eye when he proposed to Sylvie at the firehouse.

Sylvie and Matt looked at each other briefly as their expressions softened. They knew all too well about that look – but it appeared others were more aware of it than they’d realised.

“I’m really happy for you guys. You mentioned your boys?” Kyle asked sincerely, remembering what Matt came over here to say.

Sylvie’s face lit up at the mention of her babies. “Yes, we have two little boys. Jack and Elliot, they’re three.” She told him as she lifted out her phone and showed him a picture of the boys smiling cheekily at the camera.

Kyle smiled, “They’re beautiful you guys. And they’re pretty damn lucky to have you two as parents.”

“Thank you” Sylvie said softly. It seemed a little strange showing Kyle their sons. This was the life she had once planned to have with him, but it wasn’t meant to be. Never did she think that when she ended her engagement to Kyle her life would turn out this way – but she was incredibly grateful that it did, despite the hurt she had to cause in the process. Before this moment, Sylvie didn’t realise she’d needed to see that Kyle was doing really well. It was a full circle moment and she was so happy that he’d found what he was looking for – even if it was in Hope.

“I’m really glad you came by tonight Kyle” Sylvie said sincerely. “It’s so good to see you doing well.”

“Yeah, you too. Honestly? I didn’t know this little meeting was something I needed until now” he said with a little laugh, but Sylvie knew exactly how he felt. “Everything is as it should be.” He concluded as Matt and Sylvie softly smiled and nodded at him. “I should get going, early start tomorrow.” he announced as he settled his tab with Hermann. “If you’re in Fowlerton any time soon, you should come say hi. Hope would love to see you” He told her.

Sylvie nodded, “Yeah, that sounds nice. I hope your conference goes well” she said as she hugged him one more time.

“Thanks. I’ll see you guys” he said before turning and leaving the bar.

Sylvie turned to look at Matt, her face full of surprise. She was entirely unsure what to say. That was not a meeting she had expected to happen, well, _ever,_ let alone in Chicago.

“That was… strange.” Matt said as he leaned his elbows on the bar. He was saying exactly what they were both thinking, but Sylvie took it as an opportunity to tease him.

“Matt Casey are you jealous?” she said with a smirk as she laced her fingers delicately through the end of his hair on his neck.

 _“No”_ Matt made clear as Sylvie let out a little laugh.

“You _so_ are.” She teased further as Matt turned around and stood up straight to face her.

“What is there to be jealous of? You married me, didn’t you?” he reminded her as he placed a kiss on her jaw.

“I believe I did, yeah…” she said sarcastically as Matt lifted his head to look at her again.

Matt sighed, “maybe it did bring up some memories that I’d rather not remember.” He confessed quietly.

Sylvie furrowed her brow; “Like what?”

“Like when I royally screwed things up with you just before the chaplain proposed.” He confessed.

“What do you mean?”

Matt absentmindedly played with the ends of her hair, “I never told you this but uh… I was going to ask you out the shift before the Arnow Fire. I got interrupted by Hermann and Ritter and then Foster and then I saw you and the Chaplain here and jumped to conclusions and… yeah. I really messed that up. I know it probably sounds crazy but when you left, it was like a little piece of me was being taken away. It didn't really make sense to me then, but it definitely does now.”

This really was a night of surprises. Between seeing Kyle and telling him she was married with kids to finding out that Matt was going to ask her out that day, Sylvie was at a slight loss for words.

“I can’t believe you never told me this” she said quietly. “I remember those few days so well.” She confessed. With Otis’s death, they were easily the hardest few days of her life and they therefore stuck out in her mind. “I remember being so confused by you. When you came over to the ambulance you didn’t know what to do with your hands…” she reminded him as he let out a light groan. Sometimes, Matt thought it was a miracle that he managed to get girls over the years. He could be _so_ awkward when he wanted to be. “It was very sweet” she added quickly as she rested her hand on the side of his neck and smiled brightly. “And then you told me that Kyle and I were _so good together_ …” she mocked as Matt groaned again and rested his head on her shoulder.

Sylvie laughed again before using her other hand to lift his head back up so she could look at him. She was standing so close to him that she could see his pupils dilate as he looked at her. It was if he couldn't take in enough of her. His gaze pierced right through her. She loved his eyes more than anything and she loved that Elliot had inherited them too. It made her giddy knowing that she got to look at these eyes for the rest of her life.

“I know you think you screwed that moment up, but you didn’t. If that hadn’t have happened, we might not be where we are today – and I love our life together, exactly the way it worked out.” She told him.

Matt realised she was right. He always had some regrets about that moment. He felt he’d let her slip through his fingers – but everything worked out how it was supposed to in the end.

“Me too” he told her before he closed the small gap between them and kissed her lightly. “So… are you ever going to start flirting with me tonight?” he teased as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her as close as he could.

Sylvie quirked a brow, “Has anyone ever told you that you have really amazing eyes?” she asked.

“You should see my wife’s, they’re ten times nicer” he responded as Sylvie giggled.

Matt was about to kiss her again when they heard a shout from the other side of the bar.

“Hey! Mom and dad! You can do that on your own time, get your asses over here!” Mouch called as they sighed with a mixture of frustration and amusement.

“To be continued” Sylvie said with a wink before Matt took her hand and they walked to the back of the bar, ready to enjoy the rest of the evening with their friends.


	53. Isn't He Lovely?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sylvie gives birth to Jack and Elliot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! So, we've seen Sylvie give birth to Annie, but I only did Sylvie going into labour with the twins, so I figured it was time we had a chapter on the actual birth! I hope you enjoy :)

**Isn't He Lovely?**

Matt leaned against the wall outside Sylvie’s delivery room with a sigh. It was the morning after they had arrived at the hospital and there was still no sign of the twins. They expected to be here for a while, but they’d already hit 12 hours and Sylvie had barely dilated. She was cranky and exhausted and Matt wasn’t one bit surprised. How could she be calm moving from a difficult pregnancy to a difficult labour?

He’d been sent out to get some ice chips to cool his wife down, and now he was taking a moment to breathe for himself. He couldn’t begin to understand the pain and discomfort that Sylvie was in right now, but he still needed to take a moment to gather himself too. He was scared _shitless_. He was scared to be a dad and he hated seeing his wife in such pain – especially when she insisted on doing this naturally and without any medication. He wished he could take all the pain away from her and he hated feeling so powerless. His words felt meaningless, but he also knew that she would get through this and they would have two beautiful babies to make it all ok.

He let out a breath and began walking down the hallway to the ice machine. As he hit the button to get the ice, he heard a voice beside him.

_“You look terrible Cap.”_

Matt slowly turned his head and saw his family at 51 standing staring straight at him with concerned looks on their faces. How did he not notice them there before? He was so tired he couldn’t even process it, but Stella, Severide, Boden, Mouch, Hermann, Foster, Gallo, Mackey, Cruz and Ritter were all standing in front of him.

“I’m not the one you should be concerned about Mouch.” Matt replied. He wasn’t about to let anything take away from what Sylvie was going through right now. “And _thanks_.” He finished sarcastically as Mouch gave him a sheepish grin. “What are you guys doing here?”

“You really think we’d miss the birth of our two newest recruits?” Hermann asked with a grin.

Matt couldn’t help but smile as he turned the ice machine off and turned to face them. “Of course not… but it is going to be a long day. We’ve been here for 12 hours and Sylvie is only 2cm dilated.” He said, sounding a little defeated.

"How’s our girl doing?” Foster asked eagerly.

“She’s doing _so_ good…" he said proudly. "but yeah. She’s in a lot of pain and discomfort.” Matt added. In his eyes, she was a total warrior, but he knew she didn't feel that way.

“I can’t believe she’s doing it without an epidural, she is my _idol_.” Stella said in disbelief.

Matt smirked, “She’s pretty badass, yeah. Listen, I really appreciate you guys coming down here, but you don’t need to stick around, we're going to be here for a while--”

“Oh we are all set Captain” Cruz said as they held up various forms of entertainment to keep them occupied while they waited. “51 shows up for its own.” he insisted. They weren't going anywhere.

Matt realised he was fighting a losing battle with his crew, so he merely nodded his head. It was comforting to know that they were out there anyway. “Alright. I’ll keep you updated.” He said as he started to walk back towards the room. “Oh, will you come let me know when Sylvie’s parents get here? I also called my mom but she didn’t pick up and you know what she’s like, she never plans a trip…” he grumbled. Knowing Nancy she would pop up at the most inconvenient time.

“Will do Captain” Mackey confirmed, allowing Matt to walk back to the room.

“Hey” he heard Severide call behind him as he turned around to face him. “You sure you’re ok man?” he asked as he rested his hand on his shoulder. He knew all minds were on Sylvie, but he felt it was his duty as Matt’s best friend to check in on him too.

“Yeah, I’m all good.” Matt assured him.

“Alright… well, I’ve got us sorted for when the little Caseys get here” Severide said as he grinned and wiggled two cigars in front of Matt.

“You’re on.” Matt confirmed – he was really going to need a cigar after today.

* * *

Matt walked into Sylvie’s delivery room and found the midwife checking how far she’d dilated as Sylvie worked through a contraction.

“Matthew Casey get your _ass_ over here.” She growled through her teeth as Matt set the ice chips down and ran over to hold her hand.

“You’re doing amazing baby” he assured her as he ran his hand over her head.

“Good news Sylvie” the midwife said as she moved backwards and took her gloves off.

“Marnie” Sylvie began as she held her hand up to cut her off. “If you’re not going to tell me I’ve miraculously jumped to at _least_ 8cm then I’m _not_ interested.” She whined as she flopped her head back on the pillow.

Marnie’s eyes widened as she turned to Matt, “Well in that case I will tell you husband that you are at 3.5cm and while that is not as far as your wife would like, it is still good progress and she should be incredibly proud of how she handling things right now.” She directed at Matt, but really, her words were for Sylvie.

 _“Subtle.”_ Sylvie grumbled as Marnie chuckled and walked away.

Matt sat on the edge of Sylvie’s bed, still holding tightly onto her hand. “I just ran into 51 out in the hall. They’re camping out there until these babies are here” he said with a little laugh.

Sylvie returned a grateful but strained smile in his direction. “They’re the best” she said as Matt nodded his head. _“You’re_ the best.” She added. “Just know, if I say anything mean to you in the next 12 or so hours – I don’t mean it. Not one bit.”

Matt chuckled and placed a kiss against her hand “I know.”

* * *

 _“This is all your fault!”_ Sylvie screamed at Matt as the doctor guided her through her first push. When they hit 36 hours, Sylvie was finally dilated enough to push. Matt had tried to be optimistic and encouraging – even reminding her that Nancy had been in labour with him for 38 – but Sylvie wasn’t interested. She just wanted these babies out and _fast_.

“You’re right baby, it’s all my fault.” Matt agreed – it was the only thing he could do right now.

“Where is my goddamn epidural?!” she exclaimed.

“You didn’t want one Sylvie.” The doctor reminded her.

Sylvie scrunched up her face as she panted through the pain. “What kind of _idiot_ doesn’t want an epidural?! I changed my mind.”

“Sylvie, it’s too late, baby one is crowning—” the doctor began as Sylvie’s head snapped around to look at Matt as she squeezed his hand that little bit tighter.

“Somebody needs to get me some painkillers.” She growled through her teeth.

“Honey you wanted to do this naturally—”

 _“Screw natural!”_ she exclaimed as Matt jumped a little.

“You are doing so good Sylvie. You are amazing, you are so strong and I am so proud of you.” Matt said, trying his best to build her spirit to do this.

“I’m not strong, I’m trying to squeeze two watermelons out of me without any drugs!” she shouted as she started to cry.

“Babe, I know you’re in pain and I know you’ve been so uncomfortable for the past few months, but you are _so_ close. Our babies are here and _you_ get to bring them into this world. You’ve got this Sylvie Brett and I am right here to get you through.” He told her. “Ok?”

Sylvie stopped crying and looked at Matt. He somehow always made things better, even when experiencing the worst pain she had ever felt.

“Let’s do this.” She said boldly as Matt grinned. To him, she was doing the most brilliant thing in the world and anything he did in life flailed in comparison. His words were one thing, but she was going to do this all by her own strength. Sylvie turned back to the doctor who was smiling at them too.

“Ok Sylvie, when you feel your next contraction come along, I need one big push from you and your first baby will be here, ok?”

Sylvie nodded her head as she took a deep breath, already feeling her next contraction. She started to groan in pain.

“Push Sylvie” the doctor told her as she pushed and screamed with all that was in her until tiny cries echoed through the room.

“Oh my god” Sylvie exclaimed as her tears started to flow again.

“It’s a boy!” the doctor said as he immediately put the baby in Sylvie’s chest.

“Oh hi there!” Sylvie said as Matt looked over her shoulder, his eyes filled with tears. They were parents. They were _actually_ parents. All the pain and heartache they had to go through to get here felt meaningless as they gazed down at their baby. “Matt he’s so _beautiful_.”

“Yeah he really is. I love you so much” he said as he kissed her head.

“If our babies are this cute even when they’re covered in blood and mucus then this can be your fault any time.” She told him as Matt chuckled.

“I will gladly take the blame for this cuteness.” he responded.

“Sorry to interrupt but momma, we gotta go again” the midwife said as Sylvie reluctantly handed her son back to the nurse to clean up.

“I can’t believe I have to do this again!” Sylvie whined.

“Just remember the feeling you had when you held our boy.” Matt whispered to her quietly as he rested his head against her temple. “You get to feel that twice over. _You can do this._ ”

Sylvie nodded her head and positioned herself to push again. 3 or so minutes later, their second little boy entered the world and was immediately placed on Sylvie’s chest.

“Oh my god he’s just as cute” Sylvie said through more tears as Matt sniggered.

“He’s _amazing_.” Matt said through his own watery eyes as they brought baby boy number one over to join his brother.

Sylvie turned to look at Matt, “I love you” 

“I love you more.” He replied instantly as he placed a lingering kiss on his head before turning back to their beautiful baby boys.

* * *

A few hours later, the boys had been cleaned up, weighed and checked out by the doctor and were lying in a crib fast asleep at the front of the room. Inititally, they were in separate cribs, but they quickly discovered that they were a lot calmer when they were beside each other. 51 had also clambered into the room to get a look at their newest recruits.

“I just can’t get over how _cute_ they are.” Stella said in disbelief. “I thought all newborns just looked like potatoes, but I guess I was wrong…” Stella was right. The Casey boys were _stupidly_ cute – and their parents knew it too. 

“They’re not identical, right?” Gallo asked Matt nodded to Severide and Kidd that they could lift the boys out of their cribs.

Matt shook his head, “No, they’re fraternal.”

“ _H_ _eartbreakers_ is what they are” Foster said, cooing down at the little boys. “They’re just so _tiny.”_

“I know, I’m scared they’ll break if I touch them” Sylvie said with a nervous laugh. While she was still on a new parent high, the nerves were beginning to kick in over being a mother. All of a sudden it felt a heck of a lot more real and it was a scary prospect.

“Where are your parents?” Mouch asked, remembering Matt had said they were on their way.

“They went to get us something to eat, though I don’t have much of an appetite.” Sylvie confessed as she shifted uncomfortably in the bed. Martha and Peter had come in like emotional whirlwinds to meet their grandsons. While Sylvie was glad to see them, Matt could tell that she was finding them a little overwhelming and smothering, so he sent them on a mission to get some food.

“It’s good to keep your strength up.” Hermann encouraged.

“Have you picked out any names yet?” Severide asked as the little boy he was holding wrapped his tiny fist around Severide’s finger.

“Yeah” Matt confirmed. “Severide is holding Jack Boden Casey” he said as Boden stood up straighter with a sense of pride. Boden had been a father figure to everyone at 51, especially Casey, and he and Sylvie couldn’t think of anyone they’d rather their son be named after.

“And Stella is holding Elliot Peter Casey” Sylvie confirmed with a smile. She and Matt knew their boys would adore their grandfather just as much as Sylvie adored him.

“They are two perfect little boys” Boden said as everyone nodded in proud agreement. “And the best recruits 51 has ever got” he joked.

Matt and Sylvie knew that their boys would have so many good souls looking out for them as they grew up. From their parents, their grandparents, their aunts and uncle and of course their 51 family. They were incredibly grateful for the love their boys would be showered with.

* * *

A little while later, Sylvie and Matt were standing in front of the crib as their boys slept. Sylvie had insisted on getting up and walking around a little bit, despite the pain she was feeling. For her, the sooner she bounced back the better, though she was learning to accept that it would take some time.

“We made them” Sylvie whispered in disbelief as Matt smiled and delicately ran his finger over Jack’s smooth cheek.

“Yeah. We did.” They had been preparing for the better part of a year for their babies, but nothing could have prepared them for the sense of awe they would feel to have their boys lying in front of them.

Matt was about to suggest that they sit down with them so Sylvie can rest, but before he could Sylvie burst into tears. Matt’s eyes widened at the sudden outburst as he turned to look at her, his hand immediately rubbing her back in an attempt to comfort her.

“Wow, what’s wrong?” he asked in a panic.

“I’m _exhausted!”_ she exclaimed as Matt jumped a little. “and I don’t know how to do it! I don’t know how to look after one baby let alone _two_ and I don’t know how to look after myself and be a good partner to you and I just love you three _so_ much and I don’t want to let you down--” she rambled through her tears as she tried to control them.

Matt pulled her into his chest as he held her tightly. He could tell earlier that her worries were starting to creep in and now they were completely overflowing.

“It’s not supposed to be or look easy Sylvie.” Matt reminded her as he ran his hand over her hair as her tears started subsiding. She always felt much safer when he was holding her. “Your boys are going to adore you.” He said with such conviction in his voice. There was no doubt in his mind that she could be the best mother. “Your heart is so good and so full of love and they will see that every time you look at them and hold them. They’ll see it every time you cheer them on and every time you pick them up when they fall down. And yeah – we’re not always going to get it right. We’re going to make mistakes, but we’ll be making mistakes together _. I’m here_. I will _always_ be here. You will never have to do any of this on your own.”

Sylvie looked up at him as he lifted his hands to wipe the tears off her cheeks, “I am so thankful for you.” She whispered. “There is no one else I could imagine doing this with.”

“Ditto” he said with a wink as Sylvie grinned. “I love you. Now and forever.”

“I love you too” she responded as she delicately kissed him. They turned back to her boys and saw that Elliot had his hand resting on Jack’s cheek. They had often wondered about the bond between twins, and now they had their first glimpse at it. They couldn’t wait to see their boys conquer the world together.

“My boys…” Sylvie said as she gazed down at them. “You have a lifetime of love and adventures coming your way… the world is at your feet.” She whispered before delicately kissing them both. She moved out of Matt’s hold and towards her bed, but Matt continued to look down at Jack and Elliot.

“Yeah… you two have the best momma in the world.” He told them before kissing them himself, feeling an overwhelming sense of joy and pride that he dreamed his whole life of experiencing.


	54. Kickball and Pink Tutus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Annie makes a fashion statement, Sylvie loses her cool and Jack and Elliot engage in a competitive game of kickball.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a lot of fun to write - I hope you enjoy it!

**Kickball and Pink Tutus**

“Ok, oatmeal with strawberries for Jack and oatmeal with banana and honey for Elliot” Matt said as he handed the bowls to his boys and they quickly began to eat it. Mornings in the Casey house were always a little bit chaotic as everybody got ready for work and school. Thankfully, Sylvie and Matt weren’t on shift today, so it was one less thing to make sure they were on time for.

“Thanks dad” Elliot said as he finished a mouth full.

“What’s happening at school today?” Matt asked as he made himself and Sylvie some coffee.

Jack shrugged, “Something boring I’m sure…” he grumbled. Jack wasn’t the biggest fan of school. He was a bright boy, but he would much rather be outside exploring than sitting in stuffy classroom all day.

“We have the kickball tournament Jack” Elliot reminded him.

Jack sat up straighter, his mood instantly improving. “I take it back, that’s not boring! We’re going to kick your _butts_.” He said, riling up a rivalry between him and his brother. He and Elliot were in different 4th grade classes and had some friendly rivalry over it. It was evident, however, that they missed being a team. They did everything else in life together, so being apart in school felt like a piece of them was missing.

Elliot screwed up his face, “No chance.”

Matt chuckled, “I’m sure you’ll both do great.” He said as Sylvie came into the room. “Where’s Annie?” he asked, seeing that his daughter hadn’t made her normally bubbly entrance yet.

“She’s coming now, she dressed herself today.” Sylvie began as the boys eyed her curiously. “And it’s… a _statement_. But she does look adorable and you are going to be _highly_ complimentary of her outfit, ok?” she warned them as they hesitantly nodded their heads.

Soon enough, they heard Annie’s little footsteps run down the hall as she came into the kitchen with a grin on her face. Matt couldn’t help but return her grin when he saw her outfit of choice. She wore multicoloured tights, a hot pink puffy tutu with sparkles on it as her ‘statement’ pieces and then a white t-shirt and denim jacket on top.

Sylvie turned to Matt and whispered, “She said she wanted to wear the white t-shirt, so she didn’t distract from the tutu.”

Matt held back a laugh, “I don’t think _anything_ could distract from the tutu…”

Annie hopped up beside her brothers on one of the island stools as Matt set her oatmeal in front of her.

“Do you like my skirt dad?” she asked Matt hopefully.

Matt immediately nodded his head, “You look very pretty baby”

 _“I know!”_ she said confidently as she continued to converse with Elliot and Matt about her outfit.

 _“Mom”_ Jack said through his teeth as Sylvie walked over to him and bent closer to hear whatever he wanted to say quietly. “Someone is going to pick on her for her outfit.”

Sylvie frowned, “It’s kindergarten Jack, they can’t be _that_ mean.”

“Kids are _brutal_ mom.” Jack told her as Sylvie looked a little horrified. “I know you like to be positive – but this is a time to be _negative_ and get her to wear something _normal.”_ He suggested. He was just looking out for his sister, as mean as it may have sounded.

“I will _not_ dull her creativity Jack Boden Casey, just like I would never dull yours.” Sylvie said with a court nod. As Jack held up his hands and gave her a face that said: _‘don’t say I didn’t warn you._ ’

“Ok, Auntie Emily and I will pick up Annie after kindergarten and then we will go meet Auntie Stella and Lizzie for some girl time over a healthy dose of ice cream” she said as she winked at her daughter who giggled with excitement. She _loved_ a girl’s trip. She really valued a break from her bold brothers every now and again. “And then we will meet dad and Uncle Severide at the boy’s kickball game – and I don’t want to see either of you come home with _any_ kickball related injuries.” She warned her boys. They had needed more stitches over the years than Sylvie could count with a few broken bones here and there too.

“No guarantees, Caseys don’t lose and we do _whatever_ we can to make sure of it.” Elliot told her.

“Well Caseys are also cautious and don’t do anything that could cause serious injury.” Matt countered as Jack and Elliot sighed simultaneously before jumping off the stools to get their stuff. Matt turned to Sylvie “I’m placing money on Jack coming back with a black eye after diving to secure a base and Elliot breaking a couple of toes during a kick.”

 _“Ha_ , agreed…” Sylvie said with a scoff. She couldn’t see this one ending too well…

* * *

That afternoon, Sylvie, and Emily were waiting outside Annie’s kindergarten for Annie to come out. Sylvie had told her all about Annie’s outfit choice and she loved her boldness.

“I’m serious, most kids would be scared to make such a statement, but not Annie. Her confidence is inspiring.” Emily said proudly. “I cannot _wait_ to see this tutu.”

Sylvie chuckled, “You’ve definitely seen the tutu before. It’s part of her dress up box, she never takes the thing off.”

Emily nodded her head, “Yeah, it sounds familiar. Oh, here they come” she said, nodding towards the door as Annie’s class was let out.

Soon enough, Annie came towards them, but Sylvie and Emily immediately noticed that something was wrong. Normally Annie ran out with a wide smile on her face and immediately started telling them about her day, but not today. She was looking at the ground and was walking slowly towards them.

“Hey girlie” Emily greeted, the concern evident in her voice. “How was your day?”

Annie shrugged, “It was ok I guess…”

Sylvie frowned and bent down to her daughter’s height, “Baby, what happened?” she asked as she moved her daughter’s curls out of her face.

Annie looked up at her mom and Sylvie immediately saw that her eyes were a little bloodshot from crying. “Amanda told me that my tutu was stupid and I looked ugly and that I shouldn’t be wearing it school cause no one would want to be play with me!” She said with a shaky voice.

Sylvie felt her blood _boil_. How could someone talk to her daughter like that? They were only little kids! And if Annie wanted to wear her tutu she should be able to wear her tutu without fear of being bullied for it.

“Honey you know that’s not true. You look _beautiful_ in your tutu.” Sylvie assured her.

“I’m not wearing it again.” Annie made clear.

Sylvie looked up to see if she could spot Amanda and her parent so they could sort this issue out. She wasn’t about to stand for her daughter being treated like this. She soon spotted the little girl and her mother before turning to Emily. “Will you stay here with Annie?” she asked.

Emily nodded, “of course.”

Sylvie walked away from them and over to Amanda and her mother – with a sweet smile on her face.

“Hi there” she greeted as the woman eyed her curiously. Sylvie could already tell that this was going to be a less than friendly conversation. “I’m Sylvie, Annie Casey’s mom?”

“Right. Hi, Fiona.” She responded as she stood up a little straighter.

“Annie is a little bit upset because your daughter was teasing her about her tutu today” Sylvie began, hoping Fiona would get the picture and respond appropriately.

“Well, you know how little kids can be, I’m sure Amanda meant it in a light spirited way.” Fiona defended with a tight and smug smile.

“I’m not sure how calling my daughter ugly can be meant in a light spirited way.” Sylvie countered. “I just think it would be good if we could do something about it and make sure the girls are friends again—”

“Or, we let them sort it out for themselves.” Fiona suggested. “It’s far better than _tattling_.” She snipped, making a very pointed dig at Annie.  
  
Sylvie’s patience was beginning to wear thin as she clenched her jaw – and Emily was close enough that she was ready to jump in at a moment’s notice.

“She’s not tattling, she’s 5 years old and if she wants to wear a pink sparkly tutu to school then she should be allowed to do that without being bullied for it.” Sylvie said sternly. It felt like the most minor thing in the world to her, but to little kids, it was outrageous.

“Well maybe she shouldn’t be wearing such a thing to school, it’s not dress up time, maybe some mature clothes would be more appropriate. I would do her a favour and take the tutu away – then she won’t get teased about it.” She suggested as she tried to walk away, but Sylvie grabbed her arm. “Get your hands off me.”

“Listen, if your daughter doesn’t stop picking on Annie—”

“You’ll _what?_ Threaten me in the middle of the school courtyard?” Fiona shot back. “Cause you’re already doing that honey and let me tell you – the principal will hear about this and you won’t be able to set foot in this courtyard again! Sylvie Casey was it?”

“Actually it’s Sylvie Brett – _two ts!”_ she shouted, now drawing the attention of everybody else. “And how about I have you banned from the courtyard for okaying the bullying of a 5-year-old! I'm honestly embarrassed for you!” she responded. Sylvie was never one to back down from a fight. She was normally sweetness and light, but she wasn’t afraid to light someone up for the people she loved. Sylvie turned back to Emily and Annie who were looking at her with wide eyes. “Come on honey” she said as she took Annie’s hand and walked her the short distance to the car door before opening it and helping her into her seat.

“Mommy – that was _amazing.”_ Annie said in disbelief.

Sylvie sighed and looked at her daughter, “You should always fight for what is right Annie. If you want to wear your tutu you wear your tutu. Don’t let anybody make you feel like you aren’t free to be yourself. You are beautiful and bold and brave Annie Casey and we all love you so much.”

Annie smiled at her mom, “I do like my tutu”

Sylvie smiled at her, “I like it too” she said with a wink. “Now come on, we’ve got a kickball game to get to.”

* * *

After getting some ice cream, Sylvie, Emily, Stella, Lizzie and Annie were walking across the grass to find Matt and Severide. Soon enough, the found them – along with everyone else from 51. Sylvie was about to ask what they were all doing here, when they turned around and started to slow clap her.

_“There she is” “Mother of the hour” “An iconic performance Sylvie Brett two ts” “Well done.” "My god you're scary."_

They all said over the top of each other as Sylvie eyed them curiously. “… what’s going on?” she asked as she looked at Matt who was standing smirking beside their family as they clapped.

“We heard about your little showdown in the courtyard” Matt told her as she turned to look at Emily and Stella who were grinning.

“It was _incredible_ Brett, we had to share.” Emily defended.

“Mommy was a superhero daddy!” Annie insisted as she wrapped her around his waist in a hug.

Matt chuckled, “I don’t doubt that for a second” he said as he kissed Annie’s curls before she ran over to the rest of 51.

Sylvie walked over to Matt as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, “You ok?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” She said with a sigh. “Most importantly Annie is fine. I just – I hated that someone made her feel like she wasn’t beautiful. She is such a bright spirit and she should be allowed to be exactly that.” She reasoned. “I also don’t remember the last time I lit someone up like that. I mean it was entirely _deserved…_ but my god, I’m _exhausted_.” she clarified.

Matt hugged her against him with a smile, “Annie’s very lucky to have you as a mom.” As soon as he’d heard what happened, he couldn’t help but smile. The lengths Sylvie would go to for her family were admirable. Being loved by her was one the greatest things he and his kids had ever experienced, and they would always be grateful.

“How’s the game going?” she asked, as she stayed tight in his hug.

“Jack is about to bowl against Elliot.” Matt told her as she stood up a little straighter. This could be interesting. “General consensus is that Elliot will in fact break some toes and they’re upping Jack’s black eye to a broken nose.”

Sylvie rolled her eyes, “God I hope not…”

“Go Jack! Go Elliot!” Annie cheered as Severide held her on his shoulders so she could see better.

51 all watched eagerly as Jack and Elliot stepped up to face each other. They were competitive boys, so they knew this could be explosive. Sylvie and Matt only hoped that it didn’t descend into a fight when they got home later over who won and lost.

Sylvie held her breath and scrunched up her face as Jack threw the ball. Elliot lifted his foot, swung and smashed the ball before falling to the ground in pain. It looked like his foot scrapped across the ground as he went to kick it. He had still hit the ball with quite a force as it flew forward and smacked Jack right in the face.

 _“Elliot!”_ Jack shouted as he held his face.

 _“My toes!”_ Elliot screamed. “What sort of ball was that?!”

“It’s not my fault you kicked the ground you _idiot!_ I can’t believe you hit me in the face, I’m going to have a black eye!”

“I didn’t mean to!”

“Yeah _right_ , you said you’d do anything to win!”

Suddenly, the boys started wrestling on the ground as the teachers ran to break it up. All the parents watching the game turned to look at Matt and Sylvie, who were standing in a bit of a stunned silence. They smiled awkwardly at all the parents.

Matt cleared his throat awkwardly, “Can’t fault their passion for the game huh?” he joked as everyone sent him dirty looks.

“The Caseys are certainly making a name for themselves today, huh?” Severide said as 51 laughed.

“Maybe you should—” Sylvie suggested as she pointed towards the brawling boys who had yet to be broken apart by their teachers.

“Yeah…” Matt agreed before she finished as he jogged onto the pitch to break them apart.

In the aftermath of Sylvie’s showdown, Amanda apologised to Annie in an unexpected turn of events – and she kept wearing her tutu whenever she wanted to. 51’s bets on the kickball match had also been fairly accurate. Elliot broke his big toe when he hit the ground with it and Jack sported a black eye for a few weeks. As much as he complained about being hit at the time – Jack thought the bruise was kind of cool and he and Elliot were the best of friends again within a few hours.

It was safe to say that there was no such thing as a dull day with the Caseys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't resist putting in 'Sylvie Brett two ts' somewhere...
> 
> Let me know what you think in the comments!


	55. Gerbera Daisies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on the events of 4x08 as if they had happened when Brett and Casey were together.
> 
> Brett and Casey celebrate their wedding anniversary as a victim gets flirty with Brett.

**Gerbera Daisies**

Sylvie stood in front of her locker getting ready for the day ahead. She wasn’t in the greatest of moods. It was her third wedding anniversary and she’d woken up this morning _alone_. Matt left her a note in the kitchen saying that he had to take care of something at the station before shift started and he would meet her there. Matt was an old romantic at heart, so Sylvie hadn’t anticipated waking up without him there to say happy anniversary. So she was really surprised that he would forget. She figured he must have had a lot on his mind.

Sylvie got the boys ready by herself today before leaving them with their nanny and heading into work. Everyone could immediately tell that she wasn’t in the best of moods when she walked through the door (the glum look on her face and grunted hellos gave her away) so everyone was doing their best to avoid her.

Sylvie fixed her watch onto her wrist and closed her locker door. She turned around and jumped a little when she saw Matt leaning against the lockers beside her with a smile on his face.

“Hi” he greeted.

Sylvie folded her arms over her chest. “Hi. I missed you this morning.”

“Yeah, I had some things to take care of” he said with a shrug.

“Oh yeah? Like what?” she pried, wanting an explanation for his vanishing act.

Matt moved his hands from behind his back to reveal a bunch of gerbera daisies and Sylvie’s defence fell.

“My wife’s favourite flowers are gerbera daisies and I wanted to get the freshest bunch I could this morning for our anniversary” he said with a teasing smile.

Sylvie smiled as she gently rubbed the petals, “You remembered…”

Matt teasingly frowned, “You think I’d forget the best three years of my life?”

Sylvie shoved him lightly, “Don’t even _pretend_ that you didn’t do this deliberately” she warned as Matt grinned. He did in fact try to trick her a little – and he’d succeeded. He’d never forget their anniversary.

“Happy anniversary babe” he said as he kissed her slowly and lovingly.

“You know…” Sylvie began as she pulled away slightly from him. “It’s totally your loss for leaving early this morning.”

“Why?”

“Because your gift was waiting for you in bed this morning… and I’m wearing it underneath my uniform right now.” she teasingly whispered as Matt gulped and looked her up and down. “And if you were been in bed when I woke up – you would have reaped the benefits of it.” She said as straightened the bugles on his collar.

Matt’s face fell a thousand miles. _Damn him and his need to be romantic_.

“We uh – we have ten minutes before morning brief—”

_Truck 81. Squad 3. Engine 51. Ambulance 61. Vehicle accident._

“Aw” Sylvie said with a teasing pout. “I guess it’ll have to wait… _pity_.” She said as she patted his chest before darting out of the room.

Matt quickly followed, but not before letting out a frustrated breath. This was going to be a _long_ shift.

* * *

Soon enough, 51 had arrived at the scene of the accident. A car had driven into a stationary RV at the side of the road and the driver was pinned under the dashboard.

“51 drop a line, 81 grab extinguishers, this could flash on us.” Casey instructed as everyone got to work. He walked over to the open window of the car. “What’s your name?”

“Austin.” The guy replied with a groan of discomfort.

“Ok Austin, we’re going to get you out of here as quickly as we can. Gallo, get the door open.” He ordered as he moved around the other side of the car. While Gallo worked on the door, Casey broke the window on the other side and climbed through to start working on releasing his leg. Once Gallo had the door opened, Brett moved in to assess him and get a collar around his neck.

“How’s he doing?” Casey asked as he worked.

“He’s alert, laceration to the face, just need to release the leg.” Brett said as she fit the collar around his neck. “How is it you managed to crash into a parked vehicle?” she asked with a quirk of her brow.

“I was trying to get to the radio station, it was an emergency, they were playing Justin Bieber.” Austin joked.

Sylvie chuckled, “Say no more.”

“I knew you’d understand.” He said as he looked at her. “Your eyes are incredible by the way.”

Casey’s head shot up at his comment as he glared slightly. As if his frustration wasn’t enough after this morning, now he had a victim hitting on his wife…

Brett shot Casey a quick glance a grin before turning back to the victim, “I think you must have hit your head.”

Suddenly, the car went on fire as Brett swiftly moved out of the way. Truck worked quickly to get Austin out of the car and battle the flames. The extricated him from the car and Brett and Mackey rushed him to med.

Casey stood back and watched as Brett and Mackey drove away. Severide walked over to him and followed his line of view.

“… what’s up man?” Severide asked curiously.

“That guy was just hitting on Sylvie…” Matt grumbled.

Severide smirked, “Some anniversary gift.”

“You’re telling me…” he said before jealously turning around to begin clearing up.

* * *

“Hey” Matt said towards Gallo and Ritter that afternoon as he walked into the lounge. “Is Brett back yet?” he asked. He hadn’t seen her since the call and he was losing his cool. He couldn’t concentrate on anything he was doing. Paperwork had been a no go and anything Boden asked him he responded with one worded answers.

“Apparently they keep getting calls before they even make it back to the station. Anything we can help you with?” Gallo asked as eagerly as always.

 _“No_.” Matt said a little too quickly as they eyed him curiously. “I mean – this uh – this definitely requires Brett.” He said, stumbling awkwardly over his words before walking onto the apparatus floor. Ritter and Gallo eyed each other knowingly. Casey had the face of a man who needed his _wife_ for something _very particular._

To Matt’s luck, just as he walked out onto the apparatus floor, Mackey and Brett pulled in. He held back and put his hands in his pockets and watched as Sylvie jumped out of the ambulance and walked towards him a little sluggishly.

“I am in _desperate_ need of food.” She grumbled to Matt. She’d been out of house since 8am and it was now late afternoon.

“We saved you some lunch in the fridge” he told her as she gratefully smiled. “I put the daisies in some water by the way, they’re by your bed.”

“Oh, thank you. I’ll have to go stare at them some more later since I didn’t really get to appreciate them this morning.” She told him.

“But thank goodness the guy from the car wreck this morning had the chance to appreciate your eyes…” he teased.

Sylvie quirked a brow and smirked, “I was wondering when that little nugget would come up. I didn’t peg you as the jealous type.”

Matt rolled his eyes and sighed, “I’m _not_ jealous.”

 _“Uh huh.”_ Sylvie said, totally not believing a word coming out of his mouth.

“He’s right, your eyes are incredible.” he reasoned. How could be be mad when they guy was just stating the obvious?

“And your clenched jaw is giving you away Captain” she said as she ran her fingers along it.

“… the only person that should be flirting with you, especially on our wedding anniversary, is me.” He said as wrapped his arm around her waist and along her back, pulling her a little closer towards him.

“Well…” she began quietly. “After I get some food, I reckon I could give you your gift...” She teased.

Matt gulped as eyes darkened with desire. _“You’re on”_ he whispered. He kissed her cheek quickly before releasing her so they could walk into the lounge. Before they got even two steps, they heard a voice from the door.

“There she is! The miracle worker with the big blue eyes.” They both turned around and saw the guy from the car wreckage walk towards them with a bunch of gerbera daisies in his hand.

“Austin… hi.” Sylvie greeted awkwardly as Matt tensed beside her. “You were only in med for a few hours?”

“Yeah, I got some scans done, just a muscle tear, it’s no big deal” he said with a shrug and a grin. He held out the flowers towards her. “For you”

“I love gerbera daisies.” She told him. How did this guy know she liked them – _wait._ She said something in the hospital about Matt getting her some for her anniversary. It appeared the guy had selective hearing and only picked up on the daisy part.

Matt hated the way this guy was grinning at her and eyeing her up. He was bold even trying this when Sylvie had a very clear diamond encrusted platinum wedding band on her finger. Was this guy blind or something? He knew Sylvie could handle this guy by herself, but he couldn’t resist making a comment.

“I hope you brought some flowers for me too” he said as he looked down at the bunch in Sylvie’s hands. “I am the one who pulled you out of a burning car after all…” he grumbled as Sylvie held back a laugh.

“Here, you can have these ones. I already got some really beautiful gerbera daisies this morning, I should spread them around the house.” She said as she handed him the flowers.

“Thanks Brett” he played along, wondering what this guy was going to say next. It appeared he was here for one purpose and one purpose only and Matt’s presence hadn’t even registered with him.

“I never got your name” Austin said, eagerly pushing towards his goal.

“It’s Sylvie, I--” she said, beginning to tell him that she wasn’t interested, and she was _very_ married.

“Sylvie… I would be over the moon if you let me buy you lunch sometime.” He said as he handed her is card.

“Oh, I—” she went to protest again, but he cut her off.

“Think about it?” he asked. Clearly the guy couldn’t handle rejection on the spot. “Thanks again Captain” he said with a pearly smile as he turned and walked away. There was a certain confidence in his step that Matt would _love_ to knock out of him.

 _“Jackass…”_ Matt grumbled as he looked down at the flowers with a grimace.

Sylvie turned and folded her arms over her chest, “What was that about not being jealous?” she asked with a little giggle.

“He had a lot of confidence for a guy that _clearly_ saw you had a wedding ring on and I don’t doubt for a second that he didn’t see me kiss your cheek as he walked over here.” Matt made clear as he set the daisies down on the squad table.

“My _god,_ this morning really frustrated you, huh?” she asked with a laugh. She’d really riled him up this morning and it was showing. The normally level-headed captain was about to lose his cool.

“Like I said – I’m the only person who should be flirting with you. I’m also the only person who should be buying you gerbera daisies.” He said as he folded his arms too.

Sylvie ripped up the business car and put it in the bin by the door. “Well it’s a good thing I only want _you_ to flirt with me and buy me gerbera daisies then isn’t it?” she replied with a smile. “Happy anniversary Casey. I can’t wait for many more years of flirting and gerbera daisies.”

Matt’s defences fell as his wife smiled sweetly at him, her eyes full of the love he knew she felt for him.

“Happy anniversary Mrs Casey” he joked as Sylvie giggled and wrapped her arms around him, snuggling into his chest. Minus the flirting victim, they hoped every anniversary could be like this. Full of flirting, fun and love. They had a funny feeling that hoping wasn’t necessary – they knew it was a reality for the rest of their lives together.


	56. Love in a Photograph

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack is worried about Matt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I hope this week is treating you all well :) 
> 
> I've been struggling to find the inspiration to write a little bit this week. It just hasn't been flowing as naturally for me! The sooner the show comes back the better - it's normally what gets me going. For now, old episodes will have to do!
> 
> FYI - there is a poll going around on Twitter atm about Chicago Fire ships. If you're able, you should definitely vote and join in the fun! You don't need to have Twitter either - it's open to everyone and totally anonymous. Here is a link if you're interested: 
> 
> https://twitter.com/Emdeedot45/status/1278079145088606209
> 
> The vote closes in 24 hours, so check back to Emdeedot45's account then for the results!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter :)

**Love in a Photograph**

It was a Saturday afternoon in Chicago and after taking Jack, Elliot and a baby Annie to the park and the out for some ice cream, Sylvie decided to take them round to the Firehouse to see their 51 family. Sylvie still had another few weeks of maternity leave left. While Matt was trying to encourage her to stay away from 51 and focus on enjoying this time with Annie, Sylvie wasn’t keen to listen. She missed this place like crazy – a visit every now and again wouldn’t hurt.

As well as missing her 51 family, Sylvie had noticed something was off with Jack. He’d been a lot quieter than usual and she was struggling to pinpoint why. He’d been particularly attached to Matt over the past few weeks and barely left his father’s side when they were at home. He was also _refusing_ to play firefighter with Elliot any time his brother suggested it. The normally bold, brave and often impulsive little boy had become much more reserved. Sylvie wasn’t sure what to do about it, but there often wasn’t much a trip to 51 couldn’t fix. Besides, Jack had been asking to see Matt all day.

When they arrived, Jack darted ahead of mom, brother and sister and into the lounge, immediately looking around himself for Matt.

“Hey Jackie!” Hermann greeted happily as he bent down to Jack’s height.

“Where’s dad?” he asked as the panic appeared to set in on his face.

 _“Jack_.” Sylvie scolded as she came in behind him pushing Annie in her pram. “Uncle Hermann said hello to you, what do you say back?”

“… hi Uncle Hermann” He greeted quietly as he hung his head slightly.

Hermann gave him a sympathetic smile, clearly seeing that something was bothering him. “Dad’s not here right now bud, truck are out at a fire. Why don’t you jump up on the couch and wait for him there?”

 _“NO!”_ Jack exclaimed as he turned from Hermann and ran out of the lounge and towards the bunk room.

Sylvie quietly told Elliot to sit on the couch with Tuesday as she pushed Annie’s pram beside him, checking to see that her daughter was still asleep. She turned to Hermann who was looking at her with a concerned, but empathetic, look on his face. He knew all too well about kids being on edge and angry.

“I have _no_ idea what’s gotten into him” Sylvie said with a sigh as she tucked her hair behind her ear. “He’s been like this for two weeks and I’m starting to feel helpless and the mom guilt is kicking in that I cannot work out what’s going on with my own son—” she rambled as Hermann rested his hands on her arms to steady her.

“Brett, you have nothing to feel guilty for.” Hermann made clear. “Kids aren’t always open books and we’re not always going to be as empathetic as we’d like to be. _Hell,_ I _rarely_ understanding what’s going on in my kids’ heads…” he grumbled at the end as Sylvie gave him a small smile.

“I just don’t want him to feel like he can’t talk about whatever is bothering him. Elliot has always been more sensitive than Jack, so he talks to us when he’s upset, but I can’t remember the last time Jack was like this. I’m not convinced he ever _has_ been.” Sylvie explained. Jack normally just got on with things and there was little that bothered him, so this felt so unusual.

“Uncharted territory.” Hermann sympathised as Sylvie nodded. Hermann was suddenly hit with a thought. Sylvie eyed him curiously as he furrowed his brow. “Did you say Jack’s been like this for two weeks?”

“Yeah, why?” she asked as she crossed her arms over her bump.

“Didn’t Casey get injured at that warehouse call two weeks ago?” Hermann asked.

“Yeah, he bruised his rubs and burnt his… wrist…” Sylvie said, slowing her sentence down as she started to piece things together. Jack wouldn’t let Matt out of his sight, he wouldn’t play firefighter, he was angry that Matt was on a call – _Jack was afraid of Matt getting hurt_. He was afraid that he might get hurt so bad he wouldn’t be able to come home to them.

Sylvie was about to tell Hermann she knew what he was getting at, but her attention was drawn to the truck as it pulled into the station.

“Elliot” she said to her youngest twin, “Can you go get Jack and tell him dad’s back?”

“Yeah!” he said happily as he jumped off the sofa and ran out of the room to find his brother.

A few moments later, Matt and the rest of truck came into the lounge. Matt immediately smiled when he saw his wife standing by his daughter’s pram.

“This is a nice surprise” he said he quickly kissed Sylvie’s cheek before turning to the baby in the pram. “What brings my two favourite ladies by?” he cooed at Annie as she started to wake up.

“We heard that Uncle Joe was cooking tonight so we knew we had to get in on that action. Nothing to do with wanting to see you.” she teased as Matt playfully glared at her. Sylvie looked up at the door and saw Jack and Elliot run into the room. “Incoming” she warned Matt as she nodded towards their boys. Matt turned around just as Jack launched himself into his dad’s arms.

“Wow, hello” Matt said with a little chuckle as Jack wrapped his body around Matt like a koala and buried his head in his shoulder. He was used to hugs from his boys, but this one seemed a little more aggressive than usual. He looked at Sylvie a little confused and she gave him a look that said she would fill him in later.

Eventually, Jack lifted his head and looked at Matt with glassy eyes. “Did you get hurt today?”

“No, buddy, I didn’t.” Matt assured him as he ran his hand comfortingly down his back. “We’re all ok.”

Jack solemnly nodded his head as Matt began to piece together for himself why Jack had been so down for the past two weeks.

“Hey twinnies” Cruz said, working up a plan to cheer Jack up and distract him from whatever was bothering him. “I’m going to need some help in the kitchen, you in?”

“Yeah!” Elliot said excitedly as he gave Cruz a high five before following him into the kitchen.

Jack turned to Matt, “Will you stay here with us while we cook?” He asked. He wanted to join his brother and uncle, but he also didn’t want Matt to disappear on him.

Matt nodded, “I’m not going anywhere.”

Matt set him down and watched as he walked slowly into the kitchen. It alarmed Matt that even his movements weren’t normal. If he was ok, he would have bounded into the kitchen and probably knocked something over in the process.

“He’s not himself.” Matt mumbled to Sylvie.

“He’s worried about you getting hurt on a call. Two weeks ago when you got hurt him a lot harder than we’d realised.” Sylvie explained as Matt nodded, finally having the missing piece to the puzzle.

“I’ll talk to him later” he said as Sylvie nodded in agreement. “For now, I’m going to cuddle this monkey.” He said as he lifted his daughter out of her pram and smiled as she smiled up at him. He cradled her in his right arm and delicately kissed her head before sitting down at the table and allowing the other members of 51 to coo over her. Sylvie watched from a distance as Annie’s piercing blue eyes beamed up at the people around her. At a few months old, Annie Casey already had this whole firehouse wrapped around her little finger.

A little while later, Joe and the boys were almost finished up with dinner and everybody was gathering to eat. Throughout the afternoon, Jack would look up desperately from the kitchen for Matt and Matt would smile and wave at him to let him know that he was ok, allowing Jack to get back to his activities. Matt and Sylvie had never seen their son so anxious and they hoped they could calm his nerves sooner rather than later.

“Casey” Boden said as he walked into the lounge. “Sorry to tear you away from the beautiful baby girl in your arms” he said with a little smile as Matt continued to gaze down at his daughter. He hadn’t set her down for over an hour and he really didn’t want to. “Can I speak with you in my office quickly?”

“Sure thing chief” Matt said as he handed Annie to Sylvie before standing and walking towards the door after Boden.

“Dad, no!” Jack called as he bolted from the kitchen towards the lounge.

“It’s ok, I’m just going to speak with the Chief, I’ll be right back—” He said, but Jack reached out and grabbed onto his hand.

 _“You can’t go!_ If you go you’ll get hurt and you won’t be able to come home to me and Elliot and Annie and momma! You can’t go, don’t go!” Jack exclaimed as he burst into tears.

Matt scoped Jack up into his arms and turned to Severide, “Will you tell the chief I’ll be there shortly?” he asked his friend.

“You got it” Severide said as he walked towards the office.

Matt took a sobbing Jack out of the lounge and into his quarters. He sat him down in the chair, bent down in front of him, and used his thumbs to wipe away the tears falling down Jack’s face.

“Just take some deep breaths Jack, you’re ok, everything’s ok.” He encouraged as he tried to get Jack to calm down before he attempted to talk to him. After a few minutes Jack’s sobs had finally subsided and Matt took the opportunity to speak.

“Tell me why you’re so upset bud.” He asked as he pulled over the chair in the corner of the room and sat opposite him, his hands holding his son’s small ones tightly.

“I don’t want you to get hurt anymore.” He said quietly. “What you do is really brave, but it’s really scary and I don’t like feeling scared.” He added.

Matt nodded his head, “Yeah. What we do is brave, and it is scary.” He agreed. “And sometimes firefighters get hurt – but they get hurt because they’re protecting this city. The job that we do is the _best_ job in the world. We look after everybody’s friends and family and that is _so_ important… but I get scared sometimes too. You know what I do when I get scared?” he asked as Jack shook his head.

Matt nodded towards his desk as Jack turned around and saw the two photographs in the corner. There was one of Matt and Sylvie that was taken early on in their relationship. Matt's arms were wrapped around her and they were laughing and grinning widely at something. It was one of Matt’s favourite photographs. It was a constant reminder of the joy Sylvie brought into his life. The second photograph was one of his kids. It was taken the day they brought Annie home. She was lying on a pillow in the boy’s laps and they were smiling proudly over their new baby sister. This was another of Matt’s favourites – it made his heart soar thinking about the three beautiful babies they had made.

“When I get scared, I look at these two photographs of my favourite people in this whole world.” Matt told him as Jack continued to stare at them. “They bring me so much happiness that it washes away my fear. They remind me why I do this job. I do it to make this city as safe as I can for you to live in. They remind me to do everything I can to get home to them too.”

“Momma looks really pretty in that picture” Jack said quietly as he processed what Matt had said.

Matt smiled, “Yeah, she does.”

“… you and Uncle Severide are the best firefighters in Chicago.” He said boldly as Matt sniggered. If he ever needed an ego boost he knew where to go. “I’m glad you’re looking after us… and that you always come home to me.” He said, showing he understood what his father was trying to tell him. What they did was dangerous, but it was so _important_ , and Jack felt a swell of pride because of that.

Jack slid off his seat and allowed Matt to lift him up to hug him tightly. Matt made a mental note in that moment to always get as many hugs as he could from his kids and to _always_ treasure them.

A few days later, Matt and Sylvie put some photographs on Jack and Elliot’s beside table for them to look at when they got scared. It worked _wonders_. Jack was back to being his bold and boisterous self soon after. So much so, he managed to split his lip open when he jumped off the jungle gym in their backyard in a 'daring fire rescue'. 

Jack was only little when he had this conversation with his dad and while he only remembered snippets of what he said, he remembered how his father’s words made him feel. He often credited it to what inspired him to become a firefighter years later.


	57. 25 Years

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sylvie discovers something unsettling about her marriage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! It's been a minute. I hope you're all keeping well!
> 
> I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter... but it was fun to write and it's a funny/kind of outrageous concept so I hope you enjoy!

**25 Years**

“Thanks for helping me tidy up a bit down here honey” Sylvie said to her daughter as they sorted through a box each in the basement. Over the years, Matt and Sylvie had accumulated _mountains_ of stuff and Sylvie thought it was about time they started to clear some of it out. While Matt was at a construction job, Sylvie managed to rope Annie into helping her.

“It’s cool. Nothing I’d rather be doing on a hot summer’s day…” she said sarcastically as Sylvie playfully rolled her eyes. “I’m kidding, it’s fun seeing what junk you’ve gathered over the years.” She teased.

“Most of this junk is _your_ junk.” Sylvie told her as she looked through a box of kids’ toys.

“Aw, Kitty Kat!” Annie said excitedly as Sylvie lifted the toy cat out of the box. “We used to have some _wild_ tea parties together.” She joked as Sylvie smirked. She remembered Annie’s infamous tea parties all too well – so did Matt.

“What’s that box?” Sylvie asked as Annie lifted it off the flood and set it on the table in front of them. She opened it up and lifted out a photo frame that was lying on top.

“Aw, look at you guys” Annie said with a smile as she turned the photo around to show her mom. “When was this taken?”

Sylvie took the frame from her daughter and looked at it. It was of her and Matt right after they’d gotten engaged at Chicago Med. They were walking into the firehouse so Sylvie could collect her stuff and head home since she’d sustained a mild concussion, but their 51 family had been waiting with streamers and confetti to congratulate them. Someone then snapped a picture of Matt and Sylvie grinning ear to ear with their arms wrapped around each other. Their 51 family was the best.

“The day we got engaged. I was concussed on a call and ended up in Chicago Med. I ruined your dad’s plans for something a little more romantic, but honestly – I wouldn’t have had it any other way.” Sylvie said with a little smile. “And now we’re celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary next week” she added as she set the frame down and began sifted through the box. It seemed to be full of engagement and wedding memorabilia.

“25 years married… I guess love isn’t dead after all” Annie said with a dreamy sigh.

“Whoever told you that it was is a horrible cynic.” Sylvie said with a frown. She may have been unlucky in love in her lifetime, but she was still a _hopeless_ romantic. When the right love for her came along, she was glad to be that way. Nothing felt better than being loved by Matt Casey.

“Oh come on. I know you and dad have had your fair share of relationships over the years. It’s a _miracle_ you two made this work.” Annie said with a shake of the head. She and her brothers knew that there were other men and women in their parents lives before they got together, but they didn’t know much. They knew Matt was married to a lady named Gabby, though that was pretty much _all_ they knew about her, and they’d met Kyle and Harrison a couple of times in Fowlerton (it was an unfortunately small place).

 _“Annie Evelyn Casey_.” Sylvie scolded as she lightly smacked her daughter with a discarded rag.

Annie held up her hands and laughed, “I’m kidding!” she insisted as Sylvie sent her a warning glare. “I mean – I think I have a total of two friends whose parents are still married.” Annie reasoned, the only people in her head being Lizzie Severide and Brianna Cruz. “What’s the secret?” she asked. She may only be 19, but she was determined to get her love life right from the outset.

“Friendship.” Sylvie replied after only a second of thought.

“Oh” Annie said as she stood up a little straighter. “That’s… romantic?” she said. It wasn’t exactly the answer she was expecting.

“I am so in love with your dad, but I know that the reason I’ve loved him for so long is because our relationship is built on an incredibly strong friendship. Those are our roots and everything else blossoms from that.” Sylvie explained.

Annie smiled sweetly. “So you trust him with your life, your heart and your secrets.” He protected her on the job, he protected her love for him and he protected her biggest fears and truths.

“That’s a nice way of putting it” Sylvie agreed as she lifted out a brown envelope from the bottom of the box. “What is this…” she mumbled as she lifted out the paper contents as Annie looked over her shoulder. Sylvie’s face fell further and further as she read through the sheet of paper. “Oh no… oh no, no, no, no, no!” she exclaimed.

“Is that… your marriage license?” Annie asked with a furrowed Casey brow.

“I gave this to your dad to file the week before our wedding!” Sylvie exclaimed. “Why didn’t he file it?!”

“So… if dad didn’t file it, that means—” Annie said, not wanting to say it out loud and freak her mom out.

 _“We’re not married.”_ Sylvie said in a whisper of shock. They managed to go 25 years without working this out. Apparently having separate bank accounts and tax returns had come back to bite them in the ass... 

“Maybe that’s your secret.” Annie said.

Sylvie’s head snapped round at her, “What?”

“The secret to being married for so long is not _actually_ being married in the first place!” she tried to joke, wanting to lift the panic that was shrouding the basement. Instead, Sylvie groaned and put her head in her hands, wondering how they could quickly rectify this situation.

* * *

Later that evening, Sylvie came downstairs to get started on dinner just before Matt came home. Thankfully, she discovered that it shouldn’t be much bother getting their license filed now, she just needed to get a new one issued by the courthouse and file it within 90 days. She couldn’t wait, however, to give Matt some crap about this. She was ready to light him up earlier, but the more she thought about it, the funnier she found the whole thing. Of _course_ they would spend the last 25 years being married without _actually_ being married.

As she walked into the kitchen, she found Annie now sitting at the island with Elliot and Jack.

“What are you two doing here?” she asked as she opened the fridge and lifted out some vegetables.

Jack smirked, “Annie called. Do you really think we’d want to miss the fall out from license-gate?” he questioned.

Sylvie grimaced, “License-gate?”

“I cannot _believe_ you guys have been living in a den of _sin_ all these years.” Elliot joked as Sylvie rolled her eyes.

“We’re _illegitimate.”_ Annie added as Jack and Elliot smirked and laughed lightly to themselves. They were finding this a little too funny for Sylvie’s liking.

“Guys, it’s not a big deal, we’re getting it sorted.”

Jack walked around the island and placed his hands on Sylvie’s shoulders; “… I’ve got $20 on you giving dad the license and then him forgetting to file it for another 25 years.”

 _“Jack!”_ Sylvie exclaimed as she swatted her son away.

“Come on” Annie said as she jumped off the stool. “We’re taking you out.”

Sylvie frowned, “No, your dad is on his way home.”

“We called him, he’s going to meet us there. There’s no way we’re letting your strop over vegetables all night.” Elliot told her as Jack moved behind her and pushed her towards the door.

“I’ve been trying to call him all day!” Sylvie exclaimed, getting more frustrated. How come Matt could answer the kids but not her? “Jack, stop—" she really wasn't in the mood to go out right about now.

“No protesting, it’s a done deal.” Jack made clear as she gave in with a sigh, lifted her coat and followed her children out the door.

* * *

A short while later, the four Caseys pulled up outside of Molly’s and began walking towards the door.

“Annie you’re too young to go to bars.” Sylvie told her.

“Oh come on, it’s Molly’s, it doesn’t count” Annie brushed off. She’d been in there countless times as a kid – granted it had been broad daylight every time… “Besides, I’m not here to get drunk with my mother.” She said with a scoff as Sylvie stopped and raised her eyebrows at her. Annie awkwardly cleared her throat, “Or _ever_ …” she mumbled. She looked to her brothers for support, but they merely smirked and walked on – _some siblings they were._

“What are we doing here then?” Sylvie asked as they stopped outside the door.

“I know we were joking about this marriage license thing, but we _are_ sorry that you’re feeling a little down about it.” Elliot told her. “I’m sure it’s weird for you to know that you’re not actually married to dad.”

Sylvie sighed, “I know marriage is about more than a piece of paper but – yeah. It’s kind of strange.” She admitted. She knew it didn’t invalidate her marriage at all, but knowing that it wasn’t official somehow stung a little bit. Not to mention the fact that said ‘husband’ had been ignoring her calls all day. That was what was _really_ getting to her…

“We just wanted to cheer you up and what better place than Molly’s?” Jack said. “Luke also promised us half price drinks all night so that really sealed the deal.” He told them. Luke Hermann was every bit the shrewd businessman – just like his father – but even he couldn’t deny them this one.

“… lead the way” Sylvie conceded as they walked ahead of Sylvie. As the door opened, Sylvie was alarmed by how quiet it was. It was a Friday night, Molly’s was normally a hot spot on this side of town. When she finally walked through the door after her children, she stopped in her treks as she realised why it was quiet – everybody she loved was standing in front of her, smiling.

“… what’s going on?” she asked curiously. She looked over to the side and saw a table with two chairs perched behind it. The table was covered in white cloth with a beautiful garland of gerbera daisies across the front. Sylvie walked towards the table and saw that there were some papers sitting on it. She lifted them up as her mouth fell open slightly when she realised what they were – a marriage license.

She turned around and came face to face with a grinning Matt.

 _“… Matthew._ ” She said sternly as Matt let out a laugh. She figured whatever _this_ was, was why he hadn't answered her calls all day...

 _“Sylvie._ ” He replied in a mockingly stern tone.

“What is all of this?” she asked as she set the papers back down.

“Annie called me earlier and told me about the license.” He began. “I’m so sorry I didn’t get it filed.”

“It’s ok” Sylvie assured him with a nod. She really wasn’t mad about it, mistakes happen, it's not a big deal and it didn't make her doubt their relationship - 25 years would do that. It didn’t change how much she loved him and how she still viewed him as her husband. Besides, it wasn't in her nature to lose her cool over something like this.

“Marriage is about more than a piece of paper. It’s about a commitment that can only be shown through how you love someone.” Matt said as he held his wife’s hands in his. “As far as I’m concerned, we’ve been married for 25 years – and that’s something we should celebrate.” He told her with a little smile.

“Dad pulled some strings and got a new license from city hall” Annie told her as she and the boys stepped forward. “I got the gerbera daisies, Elliot and Jack set up the bar.”

“Welcome to your marriage license signing/25th anniversary party!” Jack said happily as everyone around them cheered.

“And I promise” Matt began as Sylvie turned her attention back to him. “Once we sign these papers right here, right now – I will not forget to leave them at the courthouse in the morning.”

“Mainly because I’m walking him straight through the doors myself.” Elliot told her.

Sylvie smiled, “Two sensible boys is always better than one.” She said with a wink at her son. Trust Elliot to make sure this is done right.

“So – what do you say Brett? Will you marry me?” Matt joked.

Sylvie giggled, “A thousand times over if I have to.”

Matt wrapped his arms around Sylvie and kissed her as everyone around them cheered again. Jack jokingly put his hand over Annie’s eyes during the kiss and she quickly swatted him away before he wrapped his arms around his little sister’s shoulders and over Elliot’s.

Sylvie pulled back from the kiss, still wrapped up tightly in her husband’s arms, looking into the eyes she’d loved so deeply for over 25 years.

“I love you Matt Casey. To another 25 years.”

“Make it 30 and you’ve got yourself a toast” he said as he brushed his nose against hers.

Sylvie smiled widely, “ _Deal”_


	58. A Whole Other World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack and Elliot try some dangerous heroics and the Casey kids meet someone they never expected to meet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Thank you for all your lovely comments for last chapter, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
> 
> This chapter is one I have been trying to write for a while, but just couldn't work out how I wanted to do it. Today it just kind of flowed out of me! It's a longer one than usual and I hope you enjoy :)

**A Whole Other World**

“Morning Leanne” Annie greeted one of the nurses as she made her way into the ER to start her shift. She had just started her trauma surgeon residency and she was loving every minute of it. While the job was incredibly demanding, she also found it incredibly rewarding – there wasn’t anything else she would rather be doing. She certainly did get a lot of stick, however, from her family of firefighters and paramedics. She liked to remind them that they wouldn’t be giving her crap if they were looking for her to stitch them up when they came crashing into the ER after a rough call.

“Morning Dr. Casey” Leanne replied with a smile as she handed her a tablet with her patient’s charts on it. “18-year-old male, fell down the stairs this morning, suspected broken wrist, rib and it looks like he’s going to need some stitches.”

“Ok, thanks” Annie said as she looked down at the chart and walked into the bay to find the patient with who she assumed was his mother. “Good morning” Annie greeted with her normal beaming and captivating smile. “I’m Dr. Casey, I’m the trauma resident on call today.”

“I’m sorry did you say Dr. Casey?”

Annie nodded her head as she looked at the woman standing beside her patient’s bed, “Yeah… is something the matter?” She asked. She seemed alarmed when Annie said her name and she didn’t want her patient, and who she assumed was his mother, to feel uncomfortable.

“No, not at all I just—” she began, but stopped herself as she eyed Annie curiously. Like she was trying to work something out. “You remind me of someone I know.”

“Oh.” Annie replied, not really sure what else to say. She looked like a carbon copy of her mom, but with a hint of her dad in there – particularly in her mannerisms.

“You uh—you don’t happen to be related to a Matt Casey, do you? The fire chief over at 51?”

Annie smiled softly, “Yeah, he’s my dad. You know him?”

The lady nodded and gave her a tight-lipped smile, “Yeah, I know him. From another lifetime.”

Annie took her turn to eye the woman curiously. She couldn’t think where she might know her dad from, but she appeared shifty at the mere mention of his name. Could it be – _no. No way_. She wouldn’t come back to Chicago after all this time, _would she? Her dad’s ex-wife?_

Annie didn’t know anything about Matt’s ex-wife. She couldn’t even remember her name. It wasn’t a topic she was particularly interested in hearing anything about and Matt didn’t seem to feel the need to talk about her either.

“So, is Leo ok?” the woman asked as their attention was finally turned back to her son.

Annie nodded, “He’s fine. Your x-rays show you have a broken wrist and a broken rib, so we’ll need to bandage you up and put some stitches in that laceration. You do have a concussion and I would like to keep you in for another couple of hours for observation.”

“I’m fine.” The boy said through his teeth.

“You’re not _fine,_ you fell down a flight of stairs, it’s best to air on the side of caution, right Dr. Casey?”

“Absolutely.” Annie agreed. “Someone will come round soon to get your arm set, ok?”

Leo reluctantly nodded his head and sulked where he lay.

“Teenagers huh?” the woman said with a little laugh.

Annie smiled, “My brothers would act the exact same, I can assure you… I uh, I never got your name?” she cautiously asked. The name wouldn’t mean anything to her, but it was something to take to her brothers to get some confirmation.

“Gabby Dawson.” The woman said cautiously. Gabby in turn didn’t know what Annie knew about her, so she didn’t want to make it awkward or uncomfortable for her.

“It was nice to meet you Ms Dawson. I’ll come by and check on Leo later.” She said with a polite smile before leaving the room.

Annie moved to the nurse’s station to update Leo’s records when Leanne walked over to her.

“Dr. Casey, your brothers are here.”

“Waiting area?” she asked, wondering what they needed to see her for.

“No… bay 3.” She explained with a tight smile. From her smile, Annie knew that it was nothing serious – though she had no doubt that it was idiotic.

She sighed and scrolled through the tablet for their charts before walking towards the bay. She aggressively pealed back the curtains and saw them sitting there with sheepish looks on their faces.

“What the hell did you two do now?” she asked.

The Casey brothers often ended up in the ER with minor burns and smoke inhalation from doing something stupid to get the safe. Sylvie swore they were going to put her in an early grave and Matt was convinced that they were the reason he was going grey. The number of times he had to explain to the higher powers what the boys were thinking was unbelievable. As annoying as it was, Matt could never be that mad at them. Their heroics were always done to save lives – he and Severide had pulled some stunts over the years that easily matched.

“Before you get mad at us… we saved three little kids by doing this.” Jack made clear.

“Jack Casey, 2nd degree burn on his wrist, suspected broken index finger and minor smoke inhalation” Annie said as she read through their charts. “Elliot Casey, 2nd degree burn on his neck and minor smoke inhalation…” she let her sentence fall off as she lifted her eyes up from the tablet and saw them smiling innocently at her. She sighed and set the tablet down, seeing that they were eager to tell her what happened. “… how did you do it?” she asked as she lifted her stethoscope to check their lungs.

 _“So”_ Jack began as Annie placed the metal against his back. “It was a house fire, three little kids trapped on the top floor. Truck got the aerial up to the window that they were standing at and squad were clearing the building.”

“When we got up to the top, Gallo was trying to coax the kids out, but they were too scared, they thought they were going to fall if they got onto the aerial.” Elliot added as Annie moved to check him. “So Jack turned on the Casey charm—”

“And I hadn’t, Elliot would have freaked them out further by being all _serious_ and talking through the mechanics of getting them out—”

 _“Someone_ has to be the sensible one here.” Elliot fought back as Annie rolled her eyes. As annoying as her brothers could be over their saves, their attitudes to the job was why they worked well together. Elliot was the planner, Jack was the executer.

“This is irrelevant” Jack said, wanting to get the focus back, just as Annie unwrapped the bandage that was supporting his broken finger. In all honesty, she wasn’t listening that intently to what her brothers were saying – she knew she’d have to listen to it again at dinner this weekend. “As charming as I was, the kids were having none of it. It was at this point I burnt my wrist because the little boy shoved me and I smacked it against the iron handle of the door – hence the circular shape.” He said as he gently peeled back the bandage that was covering it to protect it before they could get to the burn unit.

 _“Neat.”_ Annie teased as she inspected Jack’s finger. “I need to reset this, it’s going to hurt.” She warned him, but he was too engrossed in telling his story to care about what Annie was doing to his finger.

“The fire was coming in _hot_ against the bedroom door” Elliot continued. “We eventually coaxed the youngest and the eldest kid out of the window, but the boy who shoved Jack was still afraid.”

“We could tell that the fire was moments from blasting through the door and engulfing us both, so we threw the kid at Gallo before we jumped out the window just as the fire came at us and grabbed onto the sides of the aerial. We were just dangling there it was insane— _dammit Annie!”_ Jack exclaimed just as Annie reset his finger and put it in a splint.

Annie shrugged, “I warned you.”

“The fireball skimmed my neck, the aerial snapped Jack’s finger. Once the kids were gone, the truck guys pulled us up – it was some next level _shit_.” Elliot said with a scoff and a shake of his head.

Annie stood back, let out a breath and stared at her brothers, “Do you two have a death wish or something?”

“Sis I would say it was the exact _opposite_ considering we jumped out of a _third storey window_.” Elliot repeated slowly.

“… _right_. Well at least you’ve got some burns to prove your will to live.” She teased. “I’ll take you up to the burns unit, let me just fill in your charts about your finger and smoke inhalation.” She said as she lifted the tablet. When she opened it, she was suddenly reminded of Leo and his mother from a few bays down. All the excitement of Jack and Elliot’s rescue had completely distracted her from her mission.

“Anything interesting in the ER today?” Jack asked, as Annie looked at him.

“Uh… I actually have a question for you” she said cryptically as she lowered the tablet again. “Do you guys remember the name of dad’s ex-wife?”

Elliot and Jack simultaneously frowned, wondering why Annie would want to know that.

“Uh… Maddie?” Jack suggested.

“No, I think it was Gabby _._ I don’t know her surname though. She wasn’t exactly a hot topic of conversation growing up.” Elliot said with a shrug. They really didn’t know anything about her either, and they couldn’t say that they wanted to know anything either.

“I did meet her once. At the time I didn’t know it was her, I only three. She seemed cool…” Jack added with a shrug. His memory was understandably foggy of that day and it was only years later that he’d realised who she was.

“I can’t believe that we never thought to ask” Annie said.

“Ask if he had another wife…?” Jack asked, a little confused by Annie’s statement.

“No, just about mom and dad’s life before us. Think about it, we know _one_ version of our parents and that’s Matt Casey and Sylvie Brett – _mom and dad_ , but a whole other world existed before us and we know _nothing_ about it.”

“I don’t think their lives before us are top secret Ann, it’s just not something they felt a need to share with us. I mean – what difference is it going to make for us to know that he had another wife?” Jack asked.

Annie sighed, “It’s not about how it impacts _us_ , it’s about wanting to know my parents. I don’t want to look back when they’re gone and be filled with regret and questions about the lives they led.”

“… this is _way_ too deep for a hospital visit.” Elliot said as he ran a hand over his head. “Definitely a post-shift Molly’s trip, three drink in conversation. Why are you asking about Gabby anyway?”

Annie’s eyes widened as she realised she’d left out some crucial information. “… I think she’s here.” She told then in an almost whisper as they sat up straighter, their interest further peaked.

Jack and Elliot immediately jumped off the bed and started walking down the hall to see if they could work out who she was.

“Guys _, stop!”_ Annie said as she ran after them. She really didn’t want to get into an awkward thing with their dad’s ex-wife because her brothers were too nosey to stay out of the way.

“Annie you can’t tell us that dad’s ex-wife is here and then not expect us to sleuth…” Jack reasoned.

“You don’t even know what she looks like.” Annie said through her teeth. Before the boys could respond, Annie heard a voice behind her.

“Dr. Casey!”

She and the boys turned around and came face to face with the exact person they were looking for.

“Sorry, to bother… you… _wow.”_ Gabby said as she looked between Jack and Elliot. “I uh – I feel like I’ve been transported back about 30 years.” She said with a little laugh. “I could tell from one glance that you’re Matt Casey’s kids.”

Annie, Jack and Elliot all stared at her for a moment, all three with identical shocked expressions on their faces. They clearly hadn’t thought through what they would do if they managed to find Gabby.

Gabby chuckled, “And the looks you have on your faces right now is the same look Brett used to pull when I went rogue on ambo.” She joked.

Annie frowned, “You rode with mom on ambo?”

“Uh… yeah.” Gabby said a little uncertainly. In that moment Gabby realised that she probably shouldn’t say anything else. The Casey kids clearly didn’t know anything about her. “Leo’s arm is giving him a lot of grief, is there anyway we could get it set now?”

“… sure. I’ll send Dr. Adler round now.” She told her with a tight-lipped smile. Tommy Adler was a fellow trauma resident who _definitely_ owed Annie after she let him swipe a surgery from her last week.

“Are you not able to do it?” Gabby asked. Annie could see that Gabby wanted to know more about the Casey kids, but Annie wasn’t quite ready to oblige that.

“Dr. Adler is the best of the best Ms. Dawson.” Annie assured her politely, expertly avoiding her question. “Excuse me.” She said as she moved past Gabby, leaving the boys standing there with her.

“I’m sorry” Elliot apologised. “This wasn’t exactly a meeting we were planning on having today… or _ever.”_ He said with a little laugh. He felt like someone should acknowledge this awkward encounter and that they knew exactly who they were talking to.

“It’s ok” Gabby assured them with a small smile. “I can’t say I planned on it either. Give your parents my best.” She said before turning around and heading back into Leo’s room.

Jack and Elliot looked at each other briefly before turning around to head to the burns unit. They had a funny feeling that this wasn’t the last they would be seeing of Gabby Dawson today.

* * *

Annie managed to avoid Leo’s room for the next few hours. She really wasn’t ready to have any sort of personal conversation with Gabby. What would they even _say_? Before she could even consider it, she needed to talk to her dad. She needed an honest answer about who Gabby was from the person she trusted most in this world.

At lunch time, Annie made a quick trip round to the firehouse to see him. She really wasn’t sure how to approach this and knowing her – she’d just start word vomiting and it wouldn’t be sensitive at _all_. As she walked into the bullpen, she was greeted with a smile by Matt’s assistant Mya.

“Annie, hi” she greeted happily.

“Hi Mya. Is he free?” she asked nodding towards her dad’s closed door.

“Yeah, go on ahead, he’s just warning your brothers about dangerous heroics…” Mya said with a grimace.

Annie couldn’t help but snigger, “when _isn’t_ he warning them about dangerous heroics?” she asked before lightly knocking on the door and opening it. “Hey Chief”

Matt smiled widely at the sight of his daughter, “Hey honey, come on in” he said as Annie walked in and sat on the arm of Elliot’s chair. “This is a nice surprise.”

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything” she said as she pulled her zipped sweater around her scrubs a little tighter.

“You never would be.” He told her. No matter what he was doing, he would drop it in an instant if his daughter came running.

“This is actually perfect timing” Jack said with an uncomfortable laugh. She’d just saved them from a scolding. “What’s up?”

“I had a patient today, a teenage boy, he fell down the stairs. A little banged up, but he’s fine.” Annie explained as Matt nodded his head. “But it uh – it was his mother that really caught my attention.”

“How come?” Matt asked as Jack and Elliot shared glances, realising where this was going.

“When I said my name was Casey she kind of clammed up and asked me if I was any relation to you.” She said as Matt furrowed his brow. He really had no idea where this could be going. “Anyway, I spoke to the boys when they came in after their call and we worked out that… she was your ex-wife.”

 _“… Gabby?”_ Matt asked quietly as he leaned back in his chair.

“Yeah…”

 _“God_ … I haven’t seen her in 30 odd years.” He said, almost in disbelief at hearing her name again. As far as he knew, she’d never come back to Chicago – or at least she’d never told her 51 family that she had.

“I don’t want to pry or bring up any potential bad memories, and I know the boys don’t want to either but… what happened between you two?” Annie asked honestly. She felt like it was time she and her brothers learned a little bit about her dad’s past, as strange as it may be. She couldn’t imagine her dad loving anyone else as much as he loved her mom, but maybe that was a reality.

Matt thought carefully before he told his children what happened. He wanted to be honest with them, but he also didn’t want to upset them in the process. Then again, how was there any right way to respond to learning about your dad’s ex-wife?

“Gabby and I worked at 51 together for around 8 years and she worked on ambo on and off for around 4 years with your mom.” he began. “For a while we were really good friends and then it evolved into something more. She was always my closest confident and we just clicked and… we really loved each other.” He began explaining as the Caseys remained quiet, giving Matt the space to speak. “We were together for around 4 years, married for a year and a half of that time. Truth is, she craved an sense of independence that she felt she couldn’t have when she was with me and I craved a partner that didn’t leave me on the outside of the biggest moments of their life… so she walked away and I let her.” Matt explained with a gulp. “It was a short time in my life, but it was important. _She_ was important and it took me a while to get over her, but I did. Some days I miss that time… but I also have zero regrets.” He made clear.

“You don’t regret letting her go?” Elliot asked cautiously.

“No.” Matt said with a second of hesitation. “Because then I wouldn’t have my wife” he said with a little smile that his kids couldn’t help but return. It was hard not to smile when he thought of Sylvie. “and I wouldn’t have you three. Gabby Dawson was meant to be in my life for the short time that she was – but you four were meant to be in it forever.”

Jack, Elliot and Annie’s hearts went out to their father in that moment. They couldn’t imagine how difficult it must have been for Matt to lose that love but seeing how grateful he was to have the _right_ love come along was beautiful.

“I’m sorry you went through that.” Annie told him kindly.

Matt smiled, “I’m not.” He replied honestly. That part of his life shaped him in many ways. It shaped him into a man who was ready to embrace the love of his life and have a family with her. Gabby taught him to be bold, she taught him how to love after heartbreak, and that was something he would _always_ be grateful for. “I’m not sure how long she’s on town for but uh – if you see her later, tell her she should call by the firehouse. It would be good to catch up.”

“Yeah. It’s good to catch up with the people who are important to us.” Elliot said, making it clear to him that they were ok with what they’d just heard. How could they not be? They didn’t doubt for a second that they would all experience different kinds of love in their lives – they already _had_ some loves come and go as teenagers and young adults. They were just grateful that Matt found the space to be open and honest with them about it.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Annie stopped outside Leo’s bay. The nurses told him that his discharge papers were ready to go, so Annie wanted to have one final talk with Gabby before they disappeared.

“Hi” she greeted quietly as Gabby and Leo looked up at her.

“Dr. Casey” Gabby said as she walked towards her, “Is everything ok with Leo?” she asked, wondering why else she would be here.

“Yeah, everything looks good. You’re a resilient kid Leo” she said, flashing a smile in the boy’s direction that he willingly returned. “I uh – I actually wanted to talk to you, if that’s ok.” She said to Gabby.

Gabby nodded her head and followed Annie just outside the door so they could talk a little more privately.

“I wanted to apologise for how I behaved earlier.” Annie began. “It was rude and not in my nature at _all_ —”

“It’s ok, I get it, I didn’t mean to blindside you by showing up, I really had no idea you worked here...” Gabby explained. She was just in town for a few weeks anyway. 

“I know you were someone really important to my parents and I know this may be a weird thing to say but I don’t want you to think I’m a disgruntled daughter or something…” she said kind of awkwardly. “Anyway, I wanted to say thanks. Thanks for loving them and being a part of the people they are today. They are the best parents in the world and my brothers and I love them so much.” She told her.

Gabby grinned at her, “You seem to be everything good about Matt and Sylvie.”

Annie chuckled, “I have my moments…” she joked. “Can we start again? I would really like to talk to you as not your son’s doctor. Hi” she said as she held out her hand. “I’m Annie Casey”

Gabby shook Annie’s hand, “It is very nice to meet you Annie Casey.”

For the next few minutes, Gabby and Annie shared stories about 51, Matt, Sylvie, Jack, Elliot, Gabby's adopted sons Matteo and Leo and _everything_ in between. Annie never expected it to be so nice to share this time with Gabby, but she was grateful that they could. She quickly understood why she was special to her parents. She also quickly appreciated knowing someone important to the two people she loved most in this world was a real privilege. She could only hope that Gabby would feel the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 60 chapters?! I wonder will this story ever wrap up lol


	59. The Balance We Crave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sylvie makes a big decision and leaves Matt out of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> So I've been wanting to do a slightly more dramatic chapter for a while in which Sylvie and Matt fight, but I just could not think of anything they would fight about lol. This idea came into my head recently and it works in also addressing some problems Matt has had with relationships over the years. I hope you enjoy!

**The Balance We Crave**

“Hey, you busy?” Sylvie asked as she knocked on the door to Matt’s quarters. She had something important that she needed to talk to him about. She knew it was probably a little crazy what she wanted to do, but she’d been thinking about it a lot and she didn’t want to have any regrets.

“No, come on in. What’s up?” he asked as he turned in his chair to face her. Sylvie was about to start her carefully planned speech when she noticed how tired Matt looked. He’d been particularly quiet this morning on their way into work and he didn’t come to the lounge for breakfast, but she assumed he just had a lot of paperwork to contend with. Now, she realised that something was clearly bothering him.

“Are you ok?” she asked as she stood beside him and rested a hand on the back of his neck.

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine, it’s just – it would have been my dad’s birthday today.” He said quietly as Sylvie looked at him sadly and regretfully. Matt rarely spoke about his dad, so this wasn’t something she expected to hear. “I don’t know why it’s getting to me this year. I usually forget about it entirely.” He told her as he ran a hand over his face, his slight distress evident. “He would have been 77.”

Sylvie nodded her head in understanding. “I’m sorry honey… I can’t imagine how difficult this is for you.”

“It’s just _strange_. He was this abusive man… but he was still my dad. I was so young when he died, I guess it’s kind of hard not to wonder what could have been and what he would have been to me as an adult.” He confessed quietly. Sylvie chose to remain silent as he spoke. She felt like he just needed space to talk and that was it. Suddenly, Matt let out a scoff. _“Fathers…”_ He mumbled as he leaned back further in his chair. “You never know what you’re going to get. Someone as good as yours or someone as complex as mine.”

Sylvie was suddenly reminded of why she came in here in the first place. She looked down at the folded piece of paper in her free hand before slipping it into her pocket. Now really wasn’t the time to bring this little nugget up.

“I’m sorry” Matt apologised as he looked up at her. “You came in here to tell me something and I completely ignored that. What’s up?”

“Nothing to be sorry for” Sylvie immediately said. “I uh… I just wanted to tell you that I’m heading out tomorrow after shift to check out some bar Stella wants to use for Severide’s birthday. I’m not sure when I’ll be back.” She told him. It technically _wasn’t_ a lie. She was going to check out a bar, but she had hoped to check it out with _him_. Instead, she was quickly going to have to rope Stella in on this. She didn’t want to burden Matt – not when he was feeling so down about his father.

“Ok” Matt said with a nod. “I’ll be sure to have a steak dinner waiting for you when you get home” he said as he tilted his head up with a smile.

Sylvie smiled and affectionately ran her hand over his check, “Well I should head out all day more often is this is the homecoming I’ll receive…” she joked as she bent her head forward and quickly kissed him. “I’ll see you later Captain” she said quietly before slipping away to find Stella.

* * *

Sylvie soon located Stella in the laundry room. She was grateful to find her someplace quiet, so she didn’t get any prying stares from the rest of 51 when she asked so to speak to her privately.

“What’s up girl?” Stella asked as she turned the washing machine on and then turned to face her friend.

Sylvie handed her the folded-up piece of paper she’d shoved in her pocket earlier instead of saying anything. Stella opened it up and read its contents.

“William Jameson, The Pavilion Bar, Woodlawn…” Stella looked up at her friend entirely confused. “Who is this guy?”

“… he’s my birth father.”

Stella’s eyes immediately widened. _“What?”_

“I know it probably seems _crazy_ after everything that happened with Julie, but I can’t stop thinking about him and what he’s like so I figured why not?!” she said with an awkward laugh. “I managed to track down his name and where he worked so I was hoping you would be up for calling by there tomorrow after shift with me?” she asked anxiously.

“Brett” Stella said with a sigh. “You know I will _always_ support you but surely you have a better reason than _‘why not?’_ for why you want to find him?” she asked. She didn’t want her friend to jump into this headfirst without thinking about the consequences.

Sylvie sighed, “I know what happened with Julie was painful but – it was also really special. I met a really wonderful person who taught me a lot about myself and I got a little sister.” She said with a smile. “This can be a good thing.”

“You also might not like what you find.” Stella warned.

“I know that, I just – I don’t want to have any regrets. I’m not going to run in there and announce I’m his biological daughter, I just want to meet him and go from there.” She explained.

Stella furrowed her brows. It just occurred to her that it was strange Sylvie was coming to her with this and not Matt.

“… does Casey know about this?” she asked quietly.

“That’s the other thing – if he asks, you and I are going to go and scope out a bar for Severide’s birthday.” She said with an awkward and pleading smile.

“Brett!” Stella whined. “I don’t like this sneaking around business. Why wouldn’t you tell Matt anyway? He’s your husband and you always share everything with him.” This was totally out of character for the newlyweds. Their ability to communicate so openly was something Stella envied.

“He’s feeling a little down about his dad today, I didn’t want to bum him out with dad talk, it wouldn’t be fair.” Sylvie reasoned. Although that was partly truthful, there was more to it. She didn’t want Matt to tell her not to do it, which she suspected he might. “I will tell him, I promise but for now – will you please come with me?”

“… sure.” Stella conceded. As unsure about it as she was, if Sylvie was going to do it then she wanted her friend to have back up.

“Thank you!” Sylvie said as she quickly hugged her friend.

* * *

The following afternoon, Sylvie and Stella made their way round to the Pavilion Bar to suss out the situation. Sylvie had no idea what to expect. She was choosing to look for the potential good that could come out of this situation - as always - but she had a nagging feeling in the back of her head that she should be more cautious.

They got out of the car and stood facing the bar. It looked like a normal bar with a few people coming and going from it. Nothing out of the ordinary, nothing strange – but also nothing that willed Sylvie to go in.

“You ready?” Stella asked, but Sylvie just gulped and remained silent.

This wasn’t right. If she was going to do this – she needed to do it with Matt. She was stupid to think otherwise. It felt so odd to not include him in this. It wasn’t them.

“I can’t do this without Matt.” Sylvie said quietly as she looked at Stella who had a knowing look on her face.

“I know.” She replied as she gently rubbed her friend’s back. She could tell from the moment they left the firehouse that Sylvie felt a little lost without her husband by her side. Over the past few years, they’d been a real partnership and she just felt _sad_ without him. “Let’s get you home.” She said as they turned back to the car and got in. Sylvie’s mission could wait.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at Matt and Sylvie’s house, Matt was searching around the desk in their home office for some paperwork on a recent construction job he’d completed. He cursed himself for being so disorganised and realising that he should take his wife’s filing system a little more seriously…

As he rooted around the papers lying across the desk, a smaller piece of paper fell onto the floor. He bent down to pick it up and quickly scanned the words on it. He furrowed his brows in confusion.

 _William Jameson, The Pavilion Bar, Woodlawn_.

Who was this guy and why did Sylvie write his name down? He sat down at the computer and typed the name and bar into the search engine. Immediately he was hit with results about a new bar opening up in Woodlawn last summer by a Will Jameson. The bar was getting impressive reviews and seemed to be a hot spot in Chicago. Matt then remembered that Sylvie had said they were scoping out a bar for Severide’s birthday and figured that explained it.

But something still didn’t sit right about that. Hermann would go _through_ them for not using Molly’s – so why seek somewhere else? He clicked on the website and was met with a greeting from Will Jameson alongside a beaming picture of him.

Matt froze.

His _smile_. His _eyes_. They – they were _Sylvie’s_ eyes.

He looked into those eyes every day, there was no doubt in his mind that there was a remarkable resemblance. He did a little more digging and found that Will was from Fairmount Indiana – the town that Sylvie was born in.

“No…” Matt mumbled to himself. It couldn’t be, Sylvie would tell him… right? Then again, he’d gotten himself into a nasty cycle of the people he loved keeping him out of things. Maybe history was just repeating itself.

Matt felt his blood start the boil. He couldn’t quite believe that this was happening again.

Before he could reason with himself, he heard the front door open and Sylvie's voice calling him from downstairs. He left the office and distractedly made his way downstairs, finding her pacing slightly in the hallway.

“Oh good, you’re here.” She said with a little smile as she set her keys down on console in the hallway. “I really need to talk to you about something—"

“Are you trying to get in contact with your birth father?” he blurted out as Sylvie stayed still and let out a breath of tension.

“… yeah. Yeah, I am.” She said quietly as Matt looked at his feet. He clenched his jaw as he tried to tell himself to remain calm. But he was _furious_. He hated being lied to. He hated people not talking to him.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked without looking at her.

Sylvie could hear the anger in his voice and see the tension in his body. She had a feeling that this conversation wasn’t going to go well at all.

“I was going to tell you this morning and then you were upset about your father and I didn’t want to make it worse.” She explained. “I uh… I was also worried that you’d tell me not to do it… and I didn’t want to hear that.” She added honestly. She knew he hated it when people omitted crucial facts and she figured she’d hurt him enough today.

Matt finally looked up at her, “You were right to think that I would tell you not to. This isn’t a good idea.”

“Why not?” she asked sadly.

“You know nothing about this guy!” he exclaimed.

Sylvie folded her arms across her chest, her own anger beginning to rise. She hated it when people didn’t trust her judgement or think she was capable of handling herself and other people. “You are singing a _very_ different tune from when Julie came looking for me.” She reminded him. He told her that she could handle this, why did he think differently now?

“That was different.”

 _“Why?”_ she asked aggressively.

“Because this guy isn’t asking to be found!” he shouted as Sylvie remained quiet, running her tongue along her cheek to stop herself from crying. “Julie’s death – it _broke_ you Sylvie and I’ll be damned if I let you go through anymore heartbreak because of your birth parents.”

“This is _my_ decision to make, why can’t you just let me do that?” she asked

“Because that’s not how marriage works, and I am _sick_ of being left on the outside of big decisions by the people I love. We’re a partnership and I am _not_ the enemy here! I just want you to be _safe_ –”

“ _No_ , you just think that you know best about everything, but not this time! It’s not your place to _control_ my choices and make up my mind for me!” she said as she grabbed her keys and walked towards the door. “I came home to apologise for not telling you and to get some support from my husband, but instead it was thrown back in my face before I even had the chance to say anything about it!” she expressed angrily.

“You shouldn’t have lied in the first place.” He shot back.

“Yeah. That much is clear.” She said before storming out the door and making sure to slam it behind her.

* * *

An hour had passed since Sylvie had stormed out and the guilt was getting at Matt. When he had a chance to calm down, he’d realised he’d approached that situation all wrong. He should have heard her out, he shouldn’t have lost his temper. He also realised that the damage Gabby caused ran a lot deeper than he’d realised. He knew full well that Sylvie could handle herself and he wanted to support her in her decisions. His anger came from a place of being left out. He never expected it from Sylvie, and it stirred up a lot of old feelings he’d never really addressed.

Matt was determined to make this right. He gathered some information online and decided to go and find Sylvie. As grabbed his keys in the hallway, the door opened and Sylvie appeared behind it. She looked really deflated and sad and he wanted nothing more than to hug her. He was instantly brought back to the fight he had with Gabby just before she left for Puerto Rico. They’d both walked out on him, but the difference this time – _Sylvie came back._

Sylvie closed the door and leaned against it. They stood in an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes before Sylvie spoke.

“I went to see him this afternoon” she confessed quietly. “…and I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t do it without you.” It was clear that this wasn’t something Sylvie wanted to keep from him, it just unravelled out of her control.

Matt lifted the file in his hands and walked the short distance towards her. He handed her the file and she opened it, seeing print outs of information on Will Jameson, including his picture.

“While you were out, I searched this guy up.” He told her. “This isn’t me checking him out to make sure that he’s ok – it’s me introducing you to him. Sometimes even knowing one fact about someone makes saying hello a lot easier.”

Sylvie looked up at him with a sense of shame in her eyes. A sense of shame that she would leave him out of this to spare his feelings. A sense of shame that she would turn their relationship into something it wasn’t.

“Sylvie I would never try to control you or convince you that I know best. I just – I love you so much and I want to be included in your decisions, no matter how much you think it could hurt me.” He told her as his eyes glassed with tears. He may have hated being kept in the dark, but he hated her being upset with him even more. “I trust you and I know you can handle whatever life throws at you. If this is something that you want to do then I’ll support you. I’ll _always_ support you.”

Sylvie threw the file down and launched forward, wrapping her arms tightly around his shoulders. “I’m _so_ sorry Matt.” She apologised. “I’m sorry I kept this from you. It’s not us and it never will be again.” Matt knew that was the truth. With Gabby, he could never be sure, but this time he could be sure. They took in pride in the fact that they never held back from one another.

Sylvie pulled back from their embrace so she could look at him, “I value you and your wisdom and your _sense_ … sometimes I have my head so far in the clouds that I can’t see the reality around me. I need you to bring me back down to Earth” Sylvie knew that always seeing the good sometimes got her into bother, but she was thankful that she had someone to encourage her optimism, but remind her to be realistic. I trust you too and I know that anything you say and do for me is out of pure love and respect.”

“We can go to the bar tomorrow if you’d like.” He told her. He wanted to show her that he meant what he said about supporting her.

Sylvie nodded, “I’d like that. I love you. _So_ much.”

Matt smiled and comfortingly moved her hair out of her face, “I love you too. With everything I have.” He said as he lowered his head and kissed her slowly and sweetly.

Matt knew that what he had with Sylvie was different from his relationship with Gabby. He often struggled to explain how, but this moment did it for him. They trusted each other, they listened to each other, they learned from their mistakes – they were a partnership. He knew they wouldn’t always get it right, but the love they had for one another would always be a guiding light and their motivation to be the best partner they could be. Matt finally had the balance he craved, and he couldn’t ask for a more wonderful person to have it with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of this chapter coming soon... what will Brett's birth father be like?! Sound off below.


	60. Never Let it Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sylvie and Matt go to meet Will Jameson at his bar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time to meet Sylvie's birth father! He has an interesting story to tell...

**Never Let it Go**

The following afternoon, Sylvie stood outside The Pavilion Bar, much like she had the previous day. This time, however, she had her husband by her side. Already she felt more at ease about the situation. While she valued Stella’s support on the matter, Matt was the one she needed for this. He was there for her when Julie found her and now, he was here for meeting her birth father.

She felt him move to stand beside her. “It looks nice” He told her, trying to find _anything_ good about this situation to put her at ease.

Sylvie nodded her head and gulped, “Yeah. Really nice.” She mumbled. “I’m free to back out any time, right?” she asked as she turned to look at him. He could see the fear in her eyes and immediately rested his hand on her back and lightly rubbed it.

“I’ve got the get away car.” He told her with a light smile that she returned.

Sylvie took a deep breath and looked back at the bar. “Let’s do this.” She said as confidently as she could before walking through the door.

Matt smiled proudly after her for a second before he followed her inside. He hoped to God that what she found out today was what she wanted. They hadn’t talked about what she hoped to achieve from this meeting. Matt figured it was a sense of curiosity and wanting to know where she came from. He struggled to resign himself to the idea that someone as good as Sylvie could come from somewhere not so good – so he was hopeful that that wasn’t the case.

When they walked inside, they saw the bar was fairly empty. They sat at the bar and waited from the bar tender to finish with a customer down at the other end. Sylvie was watching him carefully to see if it was Will – and her breath caught in her throat when he turned around and it was. She studied him for a minute. His picture on the website didn’t really do him justice. He was a handsome man. Tall, well built, dirty blonde hair and big blue eyes – just like Sylvie’s. The resemblance was as clear as day.

Will came down to them and flashed a smile at them, “New customers” he said, noticing they hadn’t been here before. “It’s always good to see unfamiliar faces around here. I’m Will, I own the bar” he introduced happily.

Sylvie froze. She wanted to say hello, but she couldn’t find the words. Matt knew around now was the time to step in, “I’m Matt, this is my wife Sylvie.”

Will nodded, “It’s very nice to meet you both. What can I get for you?”

“Whatever’s on tap for me and uh—” he said as he looked to Sylvie, giving her the opportunity to speak.

She awkwardly cleared her throat, “Rose. Please.” She said with a little smile.

“Alright. Coming right up.” He said as he moved to the tap. “So, what brings to in here this afternoon?”

“We heard that this was a great spot in town, thought we would come and check it out.” Matt explained. Sylvie had said she didn’t want to walk in here and announce who she was, so he was trying to play it as normal as possible. “We’re normally found at Molly’s Bar if we're looking for a drink.”

Will smiled and nodded knowingly, “I know the place, firefighter bar, right? Run by Christopher Hermann?”

Sylvie perked up a little, “You know Hermann?”

“Sure do. I came to Chicago when I was 18 years old from a little town in Indiana. I happened to meet him at a bar one night and he was a really cool guy. Always talking about his latest business venture.” Will said with a laugh. “We grabbed a beer a few times over the years and he gave me some advice in setting this place up.”

Sylvie felt her heart beat that little bit faster. What an _unbelievably_ small world. Will must have noticed Sylvie was a little alarmed by what he had just said and eyed her curiously. It was like he was trying to figure something out, but he just couldn’t put his finger on what it was.

“Is everything all right?” Sylvie asked him with a gulp.

“… yeah. Yeah, you just – you really remind me of someone.” He told her honestly. Sylvie knew in an instant that she reminded him of Julie, but how could he _possibly_ admit to that one without sounding insane? Will awkwardly cleared his throat, realising he was probably making his customer feel uncomfortable. “Anyway, how do you know Hermann? Just from Molly’s?” he asked as he set their drinks down in front of them.

“We all work together down at Firehouse 51 actually.” Matt explained.

Will looked between Sylvie and Matt; “They let firefighters who are married work together?”

“Well, I’m a paramedic but… exceptions were made.” Sylvie explained vaguely as she smiled at Matt. Because they weren’t working on truck together, there really were no questions asked by Boden or anybody else about their marriage. They were both too important to 51 to lose anyway.

Will could see the looks they gave each other. He knew that look all too well – though it wasn’t a look he’d experienced in a long time. “Say no more…” he said with a short chuckle. “In my 49 odd years on this Earth, I’ve been in love once.” He told them as Sylvie’s attention was completely on Will. Was he talking about Julie? “It ended in heartbreak and I can’t say falling in love ever appealed to me again. Since then I’ve messed up everything I’ve touched when it comes to romance” he said with a scoff. Sylvie choked a little on her drink. She remembered thinking the same thing about herself – she figured that must be where she got it from. Right until the right person came along of course.

“But surely if you meet the right person…” Sylvie said, dropping her sentence off.

“I had the right person when I was 17 and it didn’t work out.” He told them sadly. He really wasn’t sure why he was telling two strangers this, but strangely they didn’t feel like strangers at all.

Sylvie knew that he had to be talking about Julie. _He was in love with her._ She wasn’t expecting that to be their story – but then again, she really didn’t know _what_ to expect.

“What happened?” Sylvie blurted out. “I mean – if you don’t mind me asking.” She quickly added, not wanting to push this guy beyond what he was willing to share.

“No, no, it’s ok” He assured her with a little smile that resembled hers far too much. “I’d known her since I was little. The town we grew up in really wasn’t very big, so it’s easy to know everybody there.” He began explained. “We were friends, drove each other a little crazy as little kids do.” He said with a little laugh. “When she was 16 and I was 17 we started seeing each other differently and… we fell in love. We were the talk of the town, everybody saying it was meant to be all along.”

“Sounds pretty exciting” Sylvie said with a little smile. Young love could often be the best kind.

Will nodded, “It was. It uh – unfortunately unravelled when she fell pregnant.” He said. Matt could see Sylvie’s entire body tense at the comment. He knew she was feeling guilty. She was feeling guilty that this man was telling her this deeply personal story not knowing that she was the baby he was talking about.

“Her parents flipped and banned me from seeing her. My parents didn’t really fight for the relationship either. They didn’t want either of us to throw our futures away and grow to resent each other.” He explained sadly. “So… it ended. She gave the baby up for adoption and I moved to Chicago that summer.” He paused for a minute and stared at nothing, before coming back to. “I wouldn’t have been a good father anyway. It’s not something I ever wanted for myself.” He explained.

His comment stung Sylvie a little, but at the same time, she couldn’t blame him and she felt a great deal of compassion for him. To lose a love like that must have been soul destroying – especially considering he never fell in love again. Julie was _it_ for him. Sylvie could only imagine how broken she would be if she lost Matt.

“Do you – do you ever think about the baby?” Sylvie asked cautiously. She knew it was a bold question and she might not like the answer, but she came here to find out where she came from – she needed to know.

Will shrugged, “Sometimes. I know the baby was a girl and some family in another town in Indiana adopted her. From what I heard they were good people. It’s kind of hard to think about and miss someone you never knew.” He told her honestly. It appeared that losing a child didn’t really impact him in the same way that it impacted Julie. He struggled with losing his love more than his child. “As sad as it was to lose Julie” he began, saying her name for the first time, “It taught me a lot. If you love someone – don’t let anyone or anything stop you. Life is far too short.”

Sylvie looked at Matt. They knew all too well about letting things stop them. But they also know that when you meet the right person for you, nothing can stop it.

Sylvie turned back to Will and gave him a small smile, “That’s quite the story. Do you know what happened to Julie?”

“… she died. About two years back.” He said as his eyes filled with tears. “Another reason why my advice stands...”

“I’m so sorry.” Sylvie told him, the sheer intensity evident in her voice. She understood the pain he was feeling. She may not have known Julie in the way that he did, but she was her _mother_. These were her _parents_. It was hard not to feel his pain right now and think about what could have been. She wasn’t sad that her life turned out the way it did. She loved her parents and her brother and her grandparents dearly – but it didn’t mean she couldn’t feel some pain over the life she could have had.

Will looked at her with the same intensity in his eyes, “Earlier, when I said you reminded me of someone – it’s her. You remind me of Julie.” He confessed as Sylvie’s breath caught in her throat.

Matt looked at Sylvie and saw that she was beginning to panic. Her emotions were starting to take over and she didn’t know what to do. He grabbed her hand on her lap to stop her from shaking, but it wasn’t enough.

“We have to go” she said abruptly as she stood from the bar stool quickly. “Thank you for the drink, you have a lovely bar.” She said politely. “And it was very nice to meet you. Really.” She said sincerely as Will nodded his head, still clearly confused by this woman in front of him.

“No problem. It was nice to meet you too Sylvie.” He responded. Sylvie turned around and quickly dashed out the door, leaving Matt sitting there a little dumbfounded. He set some cash on the bar and looked up at Will. Matt knew in that moment that Will knew exactly who Sylvie was. He’d put the pieces together and Sylvie’s reaction gave her away.

“You said Firehouse 51, right?” Will asked as Matt slowly nodded his head. He stood from the bar and turned to walk out before freezing. He felt like he had to say something or he would regret it.

“Sylvie Brett is probably the best person you could ever meet.” He said as he turned back around to face Will. “She is everything good about Julie and her adoptive parents and extended family. You’d be lucky to know her – but she’s had enough heartbreak in her life. Don’t be another part of that.” He warned lightly before turning around and leaving.

Matt walked over to the truck and found Sylvie staring into space from the passenger seat. He got in beside her and they sat in an eerie silence for a few moments. Matt knew she needed time to process all she had just heard, but he also needed to check that she was ok.

“Are you ok?” he asked. He half expected her answer to be no. How could she be after everything they had just heard?

“I don’t know, it’s a lot to take in… he looks like me.” She mumbled as if this was a shocking thing. The resemblance between Julie and Sylvie was clear, but Will now filled in the gaps, particularly her bright blue eyes.

Matt nodded, “Yeah, he does.” He agreed. He didn’t want to say anything else, rather, he wanted to wait till she said all _she_ wanted to say.

“They were childhood sweethearts… and they were ripped apart.” She said sadly. It seemed so cruel, but it was also beautiful to know that she came from a loving relationship. Sylvie scoffed and looked down, “He never loved again and now she’s _gone_ , it’s like something out of a tragic romance novel.”

Matt was about to reply when Sylvie thought of something else she needed to get off her chest, “And he knows Hermann? And he’s been in Chicago since he was 18, I could have walked past him in the street and not even known it! It’s just – it’s _crazy_. The world normally feels so _big_ , but right now, it’s never felt smaller.”

“Did you find what you were looking for?” he asked quietly after her exclamations finished.

“I don’t know what I went in there looking for, but honestly, I think I did.” She confessed calmly. “I met him, I know where I came from, I know what his life is like – I know he never wanted to be a father. My curiosity got me what I needed, and I don’t feel like I need or want anything more from him.”

“Ok” Matt said as he nodded in understanding. He had told her when they went to meet Julie that her life didn’t have to change unless she wanted it to, and she was taking that on board right now. She felt at peace about her birth parents and that was enough for her. Matt turned on the engine and they began to drive away – but he had a funny feeling that this wouldn’t be the last time they would hear from Will Jameson.

* * *

The following afternoon, Sylvie was walking through the hallways of 51 when Boden’s secretary Eliza walked towards her.

“Brett” she called as Sylvie greeted her with a smile. “This was left out front for you” she said as she handed her an envelope and walked away.

Sylvie frowned. It just had her name on it, nothing else. She walked through the bunk room to find some place quiet and noticed that Matt wasn’t in his office. She walked in and closed the door, sitting down on his bed. She took a breath and opened the envelope, her heart dropping slightly by what she found. It was a letter with a photograph attached – it was a photograph of Will and Julie.

Sylvie stared at the photo in complete wonder. There were her birth parents – _together_. This was something she never imagined she’d see or even _begin_ to understand. But there they were smiling and clearly in love.

She remembered after a few moments that they photograph came with a letter. She set the photo down and slowly opened the piece of paper.

_Sylvie,_

_I hope this letter finds you well. I’m sorry I couldn’t give it to you in person but I’m still processing our meeting in the bar. I’m not a particularly open person, so it alarmed me that I was sharing so much with you yesterday. I just felt like I knew you and in a weird way – I guess I did._

_While our meeting was so unexpected, I cannot begin to explain how much of a comfort it was for me. You have the same beauty mark that my mother had and the same smile that lit up a room. And seeing Julie in you – she would have been so proud of the woman you became. I hope you had the chance to know her before she passed away._

_I’m sorry that I could never be a father to you. From speaking to you for a few minutes in my bar, I could already tell that the father you ended up with did a much better job than I ever could. So, thank you for coming to see me. It was wonderful to tell you that you came from a place of love. From the looks you were sharing with your husband, I can tell that love has continued in your life. Never let that go._

_I hope this photograph serves as a reminder of the parents who gave you up with nothing but love in their hearts and while we may not be a constant in each other’s lives, know that you are always welcome in my bar._

_Best,_

_Will_

Just as Sylvie finished the letter, the door opened and Matt appeared. He jumped slightly, not expecting to find Sylvie in here.

“Everything ok?” he asked cautiously.

Sylvie nodded and smiled at him, “Yeah, it is actually.” She handed him the photograph as he sat down beside her. “Will left it for me along with a letter. He seems like a good man and Julie clearly loved him.”

“Yeah, it’s all in the eyes” he said as he took one last look at the photograph and handed it back to her. “… fathers. You never know what you’re going to get.” He said, repeating his words to her a few days ago. This certainly wasn’t what Sylvie expected to find. She found a nice man, but she didn’t find a father and she was ok with that. She already had a really great one.

“It kind of makes you wonder the kind of parent you might be…” Matt grumbled. He had high expectations for himself as a father and it would break him if he ever failed to meet those.

Sylvie rested her hand on the back of his neck and gently ran her thumb over the base of his hairline. She figured this had been playing on his mind the day of his dad’s birthday, but he never disclosed it. She could only imagine how all of this brought his fears to the forefront.

“You are a good man Matt Casey and I know you’ll be an amazing father. You’ve already shown that you are with Louie and Griffin and Ben.” She reminded him. While she wasn’t in Chicago when he took care of the Darden boys, she’d heard the stories and the care Matt showed those boys didn’t surprise her one bit. “And when you’re foolish enough to doubt yourself…” she said jokingly as Matt let out a little laugh, “I’ll always be here to back you up.”

“What did I do to deserve you?” he asked as he gazed lovingly at her. She truly had his whole heart in a way that nobody had before.

Sylvie smiled at him, “You were just _you_.”

Matt wrapped his arms around her as she moved to rest her head against his shoulder. She was so thankful for their love and after everything she learnt today – she knew to never let it go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed my version of Sylvie's birth father. Let me know what you think!


	61. Naturals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt and Sylvie try to keep Sylvie's pregnancy on the DL...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Time for a some secret keeping and a nosey firehouse family... enjoy!

**Keeping Secrets**

_“I can’t keep a secret.”_ Sylvie whispered to Matt through her teeth as they walked towards the firehouse.

“You can keep this one.”

“I _can’t_.” she whined. “I appreciate your confidence in me, but it is _entirely_ misplaced.”

“How about having a little confidence in yourself?” 

Sylvie stopped behind him a little, “Will you love me even if I can’t keep it in?” she asked as he turned around to look at her.

“I can _try_ …” he teased.

Sylvie gasped and lightly punched him in the arm for his teasing. It had been a few days since Matt realised Sylvie’s discarded pregnancy test was in fact positive. A trip to the doctor yesterday had confirmed it. They were over the moon and were so excited to start their family together.

One thing they had to contend with, however, was their 51 family. They wanted to keep this quiet for the time being so not to create a fuss. It was still early on, she was only about 8 weeks. They wanted to make sure that everything was ok first and they agreed to tell people after Sylvie’s ultrasound in a few weeks. They knew, however, that they should tell Boden today. It was important that he was aware of the condition of all of the staff under his care.

“Babe” Matt began as he rested his hands on her shoulders and gently rubbed down her arms. “It’s just a few weeks. You can do it.” He assured her as he kissed her cheek.

Matt wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they walked through the apparatus floor. Sylvie screwed up her nose as Matt opened the door to the lounge and she got a whiff of Cruz cooking breakfast.

“I think the sickness is going to give me away before I do…” she grumbled as she dropped her bag at her feet and ran to the bathroom.

Everyone in the lounge stopped what they were doing and eyed Casey curiously as he stood a little dumbfounded with Sylvie’s bag at his feet.

“… we had some bad tacos last night.” He said with a shrug. Nobody said anything, instead, they continued to look at him curiously. Casey was a bad liar, he always had been. They instantly knew there was more to this story.

Before anybody could interrogate him, Matt lifted Sylvie’s bag and turned the corner towards the bunk room. This was going to be more difficult than he anticipated.

* * *

After Sylvie’s nausea settled and she got herself ready for the day, she and Matt made their way round to Boden’s office to tell him their news. When they got there, they found him aggressively talking to someone on the phone. Sylvie’s eyes widened as she stopped halfway through the bullpen, causing Matt to trip over her slightly.

Matt looked through the window and realised why she’d stopped, “If anything, this could cheer him up?” he suggested as Sylvie gulped. She hoped to God that was the case. She couldn’t imagine Boden being standoffish about this, but she didn’t want him to be stressed about having to find a paramedic to replace her when the time came.

When Boden hung up the phone, Matt pushed Sylvie gently towards the door and knocked on it gently.

“Hey chief, you got a second?” Matt asked as they stood in the doorway.

“Sure, come on in” Boden said with a sigh as he stepped around the desk.

“Is everything ok?” Sylvie asked cautiously.

“Yeah, just some equipment funding issues. Nothing that won’t be fixed by the end of the day. What can I do for you?”

Sylvie looked at Matt, clearly willing for him to tell Boden. It wasn’t that she was afraid to tell him – she was just afraid that if she told one person then she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from telling everyone. It was like the flood gates would open.

Matt nodded his head at her before he looked at Boden, “We just wanted to let you know that you’ll need to send out for a temporary paramedic in a few weeks’ time for around a year.”

Boden frowned, “Why would I need to do that?”

“Well—”

“I’m pregnant!” Sylvie blurted out causing Boden and Matt’s eyes to widen at the outburst. Neither of them had expected that one…

Boden looked between his PIC and truck captain, “…really?” he asked again as Sylvie slowly nodded her head and gave him an awkward smile. “This – this is _fantastic_ news.” Boden said as he beamed from ear to ear. He reached forward and uncharacteristically hugged Sylvie before shaking Matt’s hand enthusiastically. “Parenthood is the best thing in the world.” He told them sincerely. Thinking about his own son in that moment made him emotional. He was so thrilled that Brett and Casey would get to experience that with their own child. “Congratulations. When will we need to bring that relief paramedic in?” he asked, hoping that she would stay on board for a few more weeks at least.

“I would like to keep working for the next few weeks if that’s ok with you Chief. Just avoid heavy lifting and anything particularly strenuous, but it shouldn’t be a problem. The moment it becomes one I’ll let you know.” Sylvie told him. The doctor was confident she could keep working for the time being and she was more than happy to do so.

“Ok, that’s no problem. I’ll start the search for a replacement.” He told her with a nod, a smile still covering his face. “This is such exciting news for you and this firehouse.” He added at the end, barely containing himself. “I’m guessing you maybe want to keep this quiet for the time being?” he asked.

They both nodded, “As much as possible, yes.” Sylvie confirmed.

“As long as Brett can keep it in anyway…” Matt teased again as Sylvie slapped his chest with the back of her hand and rolled her eyes. She was choosing to ignore the fact that she’d just blurted it out in front of the Chief. She had a funny feeling that she would crack the moment someone made even a small comment about why she was acting a little weird.

“I got this” Sylvie said confidently as she held up her hands and backed towards the door, causing Matt and Boden to smirk.

_She totally didn’t have this._

* * *

Sylvie walked into the bunk room after meeting Boden and could immediately smell the breakfast from the lounge. She felt her stomach turn again but figured that the smell was probably not as bad in here as it was in the lounge. So, she moved to her bunk and lay down, trying to calm her nausea.

“Brett—oh, there you are.” Mackey said as she and Kidd walked into the bunk room. “We’ve been looking for you, come get some bacon and pancakes.”

“I’m ok” Sylvie grumbled as she curled up further in the bed.

“Oh, no way” Stella said as she jumped down on the end of the bed causing Sylvie to grimace and swallow deeply. “You do not get to skip out on breakfast, pancakes are the fuel of champion paramedics, come on!” she said as she jumped up and down on the mattress a little to stir her.

Sylvie reached out a hand and squeezed her eyes shut, “Unless you want me to vomit all over you, please stop.”

Mackey and Kidd quirked their eyebrows. “You ok partner?” Mackey asked.

“Uh… yeah, yeah. Just feeling a little nauseous. We had some bad tacos last night.” She said with a shrug.

“Huh. That’s what Casey said when you took off running for the bathroom this morning.” Stella said, the suspicion still evident in her voice.

Sylvie internally grinned. They were so in sync that even their unplanned lies matched up.

“Are you sure you don’t want to take a day, get yourself better?” Mackey asked, concerned that her partner wasn’t feeling up for the job today.

“No, I’ll be fine, it will clear up in a few hours. The mornings are always the worst.” She accidentally slipped.

“… the _mornings_ huh?” Stella questioned as Sylvie’s eyes widened slightly before she pulled herself together.

“Oh yeah, you know how it is with a spot of food poisoning, first few hours aren’t great but you’re good to go soon enough.” Sylvie said as she got off the bed. “Maybe some pancakes wouldn’t be such a bad idea…” she said as she quickly dashed out of the room before they could ask any more questions. She would just have to suffer through the smell for the time being.

Stella and Gianna looked at each other with knowing looks. Neither of them dared to say it out loud, but they knew better than to think their friend ate some bad tacos. Brett and Casey had been acting shifty for the past few days. They were overly smiley last shift and Brett wasn't drinking when they were at Molly's. The pieces of the puzzle were coming together – and they couldn’t _wait_ for the big reveal.

* * *

Thankfully, the remainder of shift had been pretty quiet. Brett and Mackey tended to a few wellness checks and truck and engine fought a minor fire downtown, but all in all, nothing to worry about and nothing to set Sylvie’s nausea off again.

As they all sat down to dinner that night, Matt watched as Sylvie barely touched her food. She pushed it around her plate with her fork and every time the smell hit her face she scrunched her nose up slightly.

“You want me to make you something else?” Matt asked quietly.

Sylvie shook her head, “I don’t want to make a fuss.”

Hermann, who was sitting opposite Sylvie, narrowed his eyes at her. “Something is up with you Brett.”

“What do you mean?” Sylvie asked as she pushed her plate back slightly.

 _“That_ is what’s up.” He said as he pointed at what she’d just done. “You’re acting shifty about your food.”

“Shifty?” she asked as everyone turned their attention to Hermann’s interrogation.

 _“Yes._ The last time you were this shifty was, well, when you and the Captain were dating behind my back.” Hermann said dramatically – he’d clearly taken those four weeks nobody knew personally. Sylvie smirked at the memory. This interrogation was eerily familiar of one she received a few years back.

Matt held back a laugh, “Behind _your_ back?”

Hermann shook his head, “let’s not get into that one, I’m very happy for you both and that’s all that matters.”

“Thanks Hermann, it’s only been two and a half years.” Matt said sarcastically as Hermann waved him off and focused back on Sylvie.

“Brett, there are very few certainties in life. We’re all going to die, we all have to pay taxes and _you_ never finish a drink, but _always_ finish your food.” Hermann told her with a nod of certainty as Sylvie remained silent, unsure what to reply. “You know” Hermann began again as he sat back in his chair. “The last time I saw someone turn their nose up at food like you are right now was—” he stopped his sentence as his eyes widened. _“OH.”_ he exclaimed as Matt and Sylvie realised he’d worked it out. They clenched their jaws and sent warning looks in his direction. He better not say a _thing_. This was their news to share – no one else’s.

Hermann desperately looked down the table. Half of 51 looked incredibly confused – and then there was Mackey and Kidd. They were smirking and nodding their heads in Hermann’s direction.

“What are you two nodding at?” Sylvie asked through her teeth.

Mackey held up her hands, “Absolutely nothing.”

“Did you tell them?” Matt asked quietly, but before Sylvie could reply, Cruz jumped in.

“Tell them what? What the heck is going on?” he asked. This entire interaction, from Hermann’s realisation to the weird looks that were being sent down the table had confused the hell out of everyone.

Everyone remained quiet for approximately five seconds before Matt dropped his fork and exclaimed:

_“Sylvie’s pregnant!”_

_“Casey!”_ Sylvie exclaimed as her mouth fell open and everyone jumped up and gasped in glee.

 _“I knew it!”_ Hermann shouted as he held his hands up. It was eating him up inside not being able to say it out loud, thank _god_ Casey cracked.

 _“So did we!”_ Kidd said as everyone stood completely stunned in their places around the table.

Matt turned to Sylvie, “You didn’t tell Mackey and Kidd?”

 _“No!”_ Sylvie said as she started to laugh. “ _You_ told everyone before _I_ did oh my god!” she said as she moved around from her seat and engulfed him in a hug. She really didn’t care that everyone knew and that they were standing staring at them, waiting for more information. She just wanted to hug her husband. “I love you” she said into his ear as she hugged him. His deep laugh radiated through her.

“I love you too” he replied as she let go, keeping her arm around his waist, but turning to look at their 51 family.

“Looks like you’re going to have to make some space for a highchair at the 51 table in a couple of months” Sylvie confirmed with a wide smile.

Everyone erupted in cheers and congratulations as they all moved around the table to congratulate the soon to be parents.

Mackey and Kidd got to Sylvie and held her tightly in a trio hug.

“I am going to miss you a _heck_ of a lot on ambo partner” Mackey began and Sylvie frowned. She would really miss riding with Mackey too for the next while, but she knew she would be back to it before too long.

“Well, you have me for the next few weeks. Let’s make the most of it” Sylvie said with a wink.

“We are _so_ excited for you both” Stella told her with tears in her eyes. She couldn’t wait to see her best friends become parents. “You are going to the best mom. Your kid is so lucky to have you both as parents.”

“I love you both” Sylvie said as she started to cry slightly. “Damn hormones…” she complained as they all started to cry a little, startling everyone around them.

Meanwhile, Severide walked over to Matt.

“So, _dad_ ” he teased as he punched his arm and Matt sniggered. “This is really happening huh? The universe is finally letting you be a father.”

Matt scoffed, “Seems so.”

“It’s about damn time.” Severide said as he shook his best friend’s hand. “Congratulations man, this is awesome news.”

“Thanks _Uncle Sev_ ” Matt teased as Severide grinned back at him. Truthfully, he couldn’t wait to be an uncle to the littlest Casey.

For the next few months, firehouse 51 were wholly invested in Sylvie's pregnancy. It was as if it was their own kid being born. In a strange way, it was. It was another member to add to their 51 family and each and every member of the house would look out for him or her as if they were their own. When Matt and Sylvie revealed they were having twins, Mouch took Sylvie’s ultrasound and pinned it to the board for them all to marvel at. They couldn’t wait to meet the littlest Caseys and to see Brett and Casey become parents – they knew they would be naturals.


	62. Retirement Letters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt prepares to retire from the CFD and Annie struggles with her love life, before remembering some important lessons her parents taught her along the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is long and soppy and it's been a while since we've seen Robbie Halstead...
> 
> For a reminder of the events set just before this chapter, check out Chapter 20 'Family First'
> 
> Enjoy!

**Retirement Letters**

A few weeks after the roof had collapsed on Casey, he was back on his feet and ready to officially retire. He wasn’t particularly happy about the way he went out last shift, and despite protests from his family, he managed to convince them to get on board with him having just one more shift as Chief of 51. He completed his shift this morning and his official CFD retirement dinner was tonight. He really didn’t want a fuss, but he also didn’t want to argue with the big brass about not having one.

Annie spent the whole day she was at work on edge. She half expected her dad to come through those doors again, but she knew she couldn’t think like that. There was no point. As she filled in some charts at the centre station, she heard a voice and a figure walk towards her.

“Hey Casey” the voice said as she looked up and saw Dr. Tommy Adler walking towards her. Tommy had been in her class and medical school and they started their residency together at Chicago Med. They’d been rivals from the beginning, battling it out for the top spot – it was a natural response to doctors with ego problems.

She’d never disliked Tommy. Yes, she was constantly frustrated by him and their competitiveness, but she had grown to respect him – particularly in recent weeks when he was instrumental in saving her dad. Admittedly, she’d started to see him a little differently. She finally let herself admit that his green eyes were captivating, and his smug smile suddenly seemed sweet and comforting.

“How’s your dad doing?” Tommy asked as he stood beside her and began updating his own set of charts.

“He’s doing good, thanks.” Annie said with a nod and a smile. “He wasn’t too happy that his last day ended with him in the hospital, so they gave him one more shift yesterday and my mom made him promise that he wouldn’t go into any burning buildings on it.”

Tommy chuckled, “That seems fair.”

They stood in silence for a few moments. Annie watched him discretely as he filled in his charts on the tablet. She was about to say something nice to him… there was a first time for everything.

“I uh – I never said thank you by the way, so… thank you.” She said a little awkwardly.

Tommy turned to look at her, “For what?”

“For looking after my dad when I couldn’t. And for getting into it with Boyd. He was being an asshole.” Annie said with a scoff. She’d completely froze when Boyd called her into that trauma room and Tommy had taken control on her behalf.

Tommy smirked, “When is he not being an asshole?”

“True…” she said as she started to walk away. She wasn’t sure what came over her in that moment, but she had a sudden burst of confidence. She’d never been particularly confident when it came to men. She had a rapid dating phase for a few months when she was in high school, but apart from that, she never really backed herself to get the boy. But right now – she thought why the hell not? “Hey” she began as she turned back around. “Are you free tonight?”

Tommy looked at her surprised, “Uh… I think so. Why?”

“Dad’s finally getting his retirement party tonight, it would be great if you could come. You’ll be doing me a favour really, if I bring someone then people will stop asking me if I’m dating anyone.” She said with a little laugh. She hated the constant questions about how ‘a beautiful and smart girl like her was single.’

Tommy smirked, “So you want me to go as your _date?”_ he asked teasingly.

Annie rolled her eyes, “… how about we see how tonight goes and then label it?”

Tommy nodded his head, “Sounds like a plan. Thanks for the invite.” He said with one of his dazzling smiles before he turned and walked away.

Annie stood still for a moment contemplating what she had just done. It could either be the best decision she’d made in a while or the _worst_. It could easily make an already tense working situation a little more unbearable. She finally turned to walk away again when the front doors opened and Robbie Halstead walked through the door. For the past few years, Robbie had been working under his father in the intelligence unit. It seemed fitting that he would.

Robbie grinned when he saw Annie, _“Doctor.”_ He mocked.

_“Detective.”_ Annie shot back. She was always glad to see Robbie. Somehow, they’d managed to remain close friends through college and their careers. It certainly wasn’t without its blips though – particularly over one incident in college. “What brings you by?” she asked.

“Two things. I need a statement from the assault victim that was brought in here a few hours back.” He told her, his notebook in hand.

Annie nodded her head. She had tended to her when she came in. “They’re up in ICU, I’ll page them to let them you you’re coming.” She said as she lifted her phone out. “What was the second thing?” she asked absentmindedly as she typed.

“It’s your dad’s retirement party tonight.” He told her.

_“I know.”_ She said patronisingly. She was well aware of that fact… why was he bringing it up?

“I was thinking we should go together. Save everyone asking if you’re dating anyone.” He told her. He knew _all_ about the questioning Annie received – Robbie had been her buffer on a number of occasions.

“Glad you remember how these things go” she said with a little laugh as she put her phone back in her pocket.

“So, what do you say?” he asked eagerly.

Annie shifted awkwardly. For some reason, she still found it really hard telling Robbie whenever she had a date. Maybe it was because of what happened in college.

“I can’t. I uh – I asked Tommy.” She told him as she held her breath, waiting for his response.

_“Adler?”_ Robbie questioned as he scrunched his face.

“Yep…” she said, popping her p.

“I thought he was your _great rival_.” He said as he narrowed his eyes in confusion. When did _that_ dynamic change?

“Oh, he is. But something’s got to break that tension.” She said with a little smirk.

Robbie let out a breathy laugh as he looked at his feet. “Right…” he grumbled as Annie’s smirk fell. He looked _bothered_ , but he had no right to be. Not after what he did in college.

“Robbie” Annie said quietly as she took a step towards him. “Whatever this is” she said as she motioned to his general demeanour. “It needs to stop. You have no right to get jealous over anything I choose to do, not after what you did to me at college.”

Robbie’s head shot up, “How many times do I have to apologise for that?”

“How many times do you have to apologise for coming to North Western, made me think that we had a chance together and then told me you were going to travel around Europe for a year?” she asked through her teeth as Robbie simply gulped. “Not to mention you told me _after_ you’d gotten me into your _bed_ —”

“Annie this isn’t fair." he cut off. This was years ago, what good was dragging it up now going to do? "I apologised, you accepted that apology, why isn’t that enough for you?” he shot back, getting frustrated that she was rehashing the past. He felt guilty enough about all of that. He’d gone to North Western in her freshman year to tell her that he was leaving, but as usual, he got swept up in her and the chance to be with her. He screwed up, he knew that, but he’d been trying to make it right since.

“I have forgiven you Robbie – but that doesn’t mean I need you butting into my love life and asking me to be a pretend date. _That's_ not fair.” She made clear as she backed away from him. “I’ll see you at the party.” She said quietly before she walked away from him.

She longed for the day that Robbie Halstead didn’t leave her feeling a little bit lost.

* * *

That evening, Matt was standing in front of the long mirror in his and Sylvie’s bedroom straightening his dress uniform. He was nervous about tonight. He wasn’t a big fan of attention being so focused on him, but at the same time, he was looking forward to being able to celebrate his career. He was so grateful that he was able to walk away from the job able bodied.

He turned to the door and saw Sylvie walk in, fixing her earrings. She looked radiant as usual. The years had been nothing but kind to her. She was the most beautiful woman in the world to him and she always would be.

Sylvie looked up at him and caught him staring right at her, “Take a picture Chief, it’ll last longer” she said with a wink.

Matt grinned, “Why take a picture when I’ve got the real deal beside me every day?” he asked as he walked towards her. He wrapped his arm around her waist as her rested hers around his shoulders.

“Have I ever told you how much I love you in your dress uniform?” she asked him quietly.

Matt nodded, “A few times yeah.”

“Well I hope it never retires” she said as she gave him a quick kiss. “Maybe you can now grow out your furlough beard that I love so much” she said as she rested her hands on his cheeks and affectionately rubbed her thumbs over his cheeks.

“I’m sure that could be arranged…” he agreed with a chuckle.

“You feeling ok about this?” she asked him quietly. He’d been pretty silent all day and Sylvie had figured he was just trying to digest that he was actually retiring from the job he’d given so much to.

“As ok as I’ll ever be. I’ve given a lot to this job, and yeah, I’ll miss it.” He confessed with a shrug, “But tonight is a night of celebration – so let’s focus on the good.”

“Alright” Sylvie said with a smile. She bent down and lifted his hat from the ottoman at the end of the bed. She placed it on his head before smoothing out the lapels of his jacket and straightening his badges. “Let’s go chief”

Matt quickly kissed her cheek before taking her hand and leaving their bedroom, determined to enjoy their evening.

* * *

Soon enough, Casey’s retirement dinner was in full swing. The hall the CFD had hired was filled with firefighters and many other people that Casey had impacted during his time on the job. He was grateful that all of these people were here, but most of all, he was grateful that his family and his 51 family were sitting front and centre.

“Well old man” he heard a voice behind him say as he turned around to see his sons walking towards him. “I can’t believe the day has finally come that you’re _accepting_ you’re old.” Jack teased.

“Watch it…” Matt warned his boys as they grinned.

“How you feeling?” Elliot asked. They’d seen him on shift yesterday and they could see the emotion in his eyes on their final call as he told 51 to pack it up and get back to the station for the last time. They also saw him hang around the house a little longer the following morning. It’s like he wanted to take every little part of 51 on before he left.

“Letting go is one of the hardest things in the world.” Matt confessed as the boys gave him sympathetic smiles. “But yesterday when we were on that call – it was a real full circle moment for me.”

“How so?”

Matt gave them a lopsided smile, “My career is ending… just as yours are taking off. I’m really proud of you both for the work you’re doing at 51. Chicago is good hands.” He praised.

Elliot smirked, “Trust you to praise someone else at your own retirement dinner.”

Matt scoffed, “Can’t say much of a glory hog…”

“Well” Jack began, “The work we do at 51 is only able to happen because of you. You’ve trained some of the best firefighters in the city and it has been an honour to work under you – and even more of a privilege to call you dad.”

Matt grinned, “the privilege is all mine. Come on – we need a drink” he said as he led his boys to the bar, the swell of pride in his chest still there.

* * *

Meanwhile, while working her way around the room and speaking to everybody, Sylvie also had her eyes on Annie. She was surprised when she arrived at the dinner with Tommy Adler. She’d always liked the doctor and thought Annie could maybe be a bit nicer to the guy, but she never expected this. She also hadn’t expected the obvious tension between Annie and Robbie. She’d noticed they were refusing to talk to each other and they shared some uncomfortable glances.

While she was speaking a few members of the upper brass at the CFD, she noticed Annie slip away from Tommy and her brothers to get a drink. Sylvie excused herself from the conversation and walked over to her daughter.

“Would you care to tell me what is going on with you and Robbie?” Sylvie asked as Annie sighed.

“Why do you have to be so perceptive?” Annie grumbled.

“I always know what is going on with my children, no matter how hard they try to hide things from me.” She reminded her. The Caseys were convinced that Sylvie had a sixth sense when it came to her children. Somehow, she just always knew.

“Right...” Annie confirmed with a little laugh as she turned to face her mom. “He just keeps expecting me to be waiting around for him to get his head out of his _ass_ and I’m sick of it. He has _no_ right to get jealous over who I choose to date, he gave up that right when he screwed me over.”

Sylvie slowly nodded, “I’m sorry honey. I know you two have been through a lot together.”

“Yeah, well… history doesn’t mean anything when the other person can’t respect you.” Annie said sensibly. Sylvie knew her husband knew that all too well. Gabby often demanded a lot from him when they weren’t together, even when she’d rock up years after being gone, but he knew that their past meant nothing when she couldn’t show any sense of respect for him. “I know everyone is convinced that Robbie and I are meant to be together or something, but you’ve always said that it shouldn’t be difficult to love someone – and it’s difficult as _hell_ to love him.” She said sadly. She thought that was maybe a little unfair when they’d barely had a chance, but she knew it shouldn’t be this difficult to be with someone before they'd even really begun.

“Yeah. It should feel easy as breathing” Sylvie agreed. “You’ve got a good head on you honey. Stand by your convictions, know your worth, know what you want. The right love will find you.” She encouraged her daughter.

Annie gave her a soft smile, “Thanks momma.”

_“If everybody could take their seats please”_

Sylvie and Annie turned around to see the commissioner standing on the stage, encouraging everybody to take their seats as dinner was due to be served. Once everybody had sat down, the commissioner took the time to address everyone.

“Good evening everyone. It is great to see so many familiar CFD faces as we join to celebrate the extraordinary career of Battalion Chief Matthew Casey.” The commissioner said with a smile. “While we will be hearing more official speeches later, I thought it would be amiss if I didn’t share a few words before we have dinner. Chief Casey has served the Chicago Fire Department for 40 years and his impact is keenly felt across the city. From the firefighters who trained him, to the firefighters who trained _under_ him and of course to the people across our city that he has helped. We cannot thank Chief Casey enough for all of his work, but we know that we don’t have to – what he does it not for the glory, but for the good people of Chicago. So thank you Chief Casey for allowing us to be here tonight. We hope you have a fantastic evening.”

* * *

A short while after dinner was served the speeches began. The Commissioner gave a lengthy address on all Matt had achieved in the Fire Department. The rest of the Caseys had to stop themselves from laughing at how uncomfortable Matt looked. While the recognition was an honour, he really wasn’t a fan of all eyes being on him. After the commissioner, a few firefighters spoke from the front, including Severide. There was no one Matt wanted more up there talking about him than his best friend and colleague. They’d been to hell and back together and they had a bond that couldn’t be broken.

Lastly, it was Matt’s turn to share a few remarks. It took him a long time to work out what he wanted to say this evening, and while he knew this might not be what people expected, it felt like the perfect way to go out for him.

Before he went to the front, he turned to his family who were sitting around him, “I love you all, very much” he told his wife and kids as they all smiled widely at him.

“It’s your moment dad – enjoy it” Annie told him as he nodded gratefully and stood from his chair, the sound of applause radiating through the hall.

As the applause died down, Matt began to speak, “Good evening everyone. I cannot thank each and every one of you enough for joining us here tonight. It is a true honour to be sitting with Chicago’s best first responders and beyond. Thank you for all that you do.” He paused for a second as he reached into his pocket and lifted out a slightly battered looking envelope.

“I debated for a long time what I wanted to say to you all tonight… and then I was reminded of something. A long time ago, my former Chief Wallace Boden asked us to write letters to our loved ones in case something went wrong at an accident site. I can safely say I am nothing short of relieved that my letters never had to be given to my wife and children” he said gratefully. “I hunted down my letters at 51 the other day and now that I’m retiring – I would like to take this opportunity to share with you what I wrote to my children… who really aren’t so little like when I wrote this.” He said as he smiled down at them. They were only little kids when he wrote this, but nothing he said had changed. “But what I wrote to them feels more appropriate now than it ever could.”

Matt looked down at the letter in his hands and paused for a second before he began to read it,

“To Jack, Elliot and Annie,

The only appropriate way of beginning this letter is to tell you that I love you. I love you in a way that I didn’t know was possible to love. I waited for a long time to become a father and I can safely say that you were worth the wait. You are the very best of me and the very best of your mom and I know you will go on to achieve great things in this world.

When I became a firefighter, I was keenly aware of the job I was signing up for. I knew it was dangerous and I knew that every call I answered could be my last. But I also knew that the sacrifices of this job were in the name of helping others. Your mother once said that she couldn’t leave her heart in her locker and then pick it up at the end of shift. I hope you’ll look back on my time in the CFD and see my heart in everything I did. I hope it encourages you to take your hearts to your jobs and make a real difference in people’s lives.

When you look back, I hope you’ll also see the place of family in the CFD. Never have I known a group of people to consistently show up for one another in the way that Firehouse 51 has. It has been a privilege to spend the better part of my career with this family and seeing them take my children under their wing and promising to protect them like their own is something I have never taken for granted and I hope you never will either.

No matter where I am, no matter where your mom is – 51 is, and always will be, your home.

All my love, always and forever,

Dad.”

Matt folded the letter up and looked up at some of the people he loved most in this world. He could see his wife and daughter with tears in their eyes and his boys smiling proudly up at him. As great as his achievements in the CFD were, it was safe to say that his family were his greatest achievements of all.

“I cannot thank the Chicago Fire Department enough for their support throughout my career. I am grateful for all of the opportunities I have been granted that have allowed me to make a real difference for people. Know that as I begin my retirement, my drive to help people will not change – but I will also be sitting back proudly watching my sons and my wife continue working at 51 and my daughter working at Chicago Med. You are the greatest thing in this world my little Caseys” he said to his kids with a grin. They certainly weren’t little anymore, but to Sylvie and Matt, they would always be their babies. “Keep conquering the world. Thank you.” He finished before everyone erupted in applause as Matt left the stage.

The CFD was losing one of the greats, but it was an honour to know his legacy was living on.

* * *

The party wrapped up in the early hours of the morning and Matt and Sylvie sleepily made their way back to their house. They were minorly tipsy from the events, but not so much that they weren’t fully aware of their surroundings. They giggled like two teenagers as Matt opened the door, kissing down his wife’s shoulder as they went.

“Hey” Matt said as Sylvie turned around to look at him as he closed the front door. He reached into his pocket and held up an envelope. “I know I spoke a lot about the kids in my speech but uh… I wanted to give you your letter in private.”

Sylvie quirked an eyebrow, “Oh… is there something naughty in here Casey?” she teased as she took the envelope from him.

Matt chuckled, “No, but I can write you a naughty one if you want…” he said as he teasingly pinched her sides. “There are just things in here that I only ever want to say to you.” He told her sincerely.

Sylvie smiled softly at him as she carefully opened the letter and lifted it out. She smiled widely down at it. It was short and sweet, but it was all she would have wanted to hear if this had been handed to her under more difficult circumstances.

_To my joyous, compassionate, courageous companion,_

_Loving you has been as easy as breathing. Thank you for making me whole again._

_Yours forever,_

_Matt_

She remembered telling Matt love should be as easy as breathing at Cruz and Chloe’s wedding and she could never forget what they said to each other in their wedding vows. Those short words were all that she needed from him.

“You are a dream Matt Casey. I love you immensely.” she said as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her with the same amount of love he'd kissed her with from their first moment together.

As they climbed into bed that night, Sylvie couldn’t help but think of Annie in that moment. She was so proud that Annie had taken some beautiful lessons away from her parent’s marriage – mainly that loving someone should never be a hard thing to feel. So hoped that whoever Annie found that with, whether it was Robbie or Tommy or even herself, she would always hold on to that feeling and know that it is worth waiting for. It was worth waiting for her joyous, compassionate, courageous companion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We know by now that I *love* a letter... I hope you enjoyed!


	63. Life to the Full

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Annie is involved in an accident and Sylvie and Matt struggle with not being able to always protect her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So we've learnt why Jack became a firefighter (chapter 58), so I thought it was time to learn why Annie became a doctor! There's also a bit of time jumping in this chapter/
> 
> This is a bit of a sad and angsty one - prepare yourselves!!

**Life to the Full**

“Dr. Casey.” One of the nurses called as Annie exited bay 1 after tending to a patient. She’d come in with what she expected to be labour pains, but Annie and an OB correctly diagnosed her pains as Braxton Hicks. Annie walked over to the nurse who handed her a different tablet with a new patient chart. “Bay 3, Betsey Byers, 6 years old. Laceration on the back of her head that’s going to need stitched. She’s ok but she’s pretty freaked out.” She warned her.

Annie nodded her head sympathetically. She hated seeing little kids in here, no matter how minor the injury. Hospitals could be scary places – once upon a time she wasn’t much for a fan either. “Got it, thanks Kendra.” She said with a small smile that Kendra returned gratefully. In a hospital full of egotistical doctors, Annie Casey was one of a kind. Yes, she had an ego, but she was careful to keep it in check and treat every single person at Chicago Med with respect. Doctors and nurses alike loved working with her in the ER and the OR.

Annie walked over to Bay 3 and gently knocked on the door frame before smiling widely at the little girl on the bed. Her eyes were blood shot from crying and her mom was desperately trying to sooth her.

“Hi Betsey,” Annie greeted as she walked into the room and sat on the edge of the bed. “I'm Dr. Casey and I’m going to be looking after you today. It says here that you have a laceration on the back of your head?”

“She fell backwards of a swing and smacked her head.” Her mother explained, her own fear evident.

“It hurts really bad.” Betsey said through some laboured breaths.

“Oh, I know sweetie, but we’re going to get you fixed right up and back home where I am sure there will be _plenty_ of treats waiting for you, right mom?” Annie asked as Betsey’s mom smiled gratefully.

“Absolutely.” She replied as she winked at her daughter. Betsey couldn’t help but smile back at the two adults. She was clearly much more at ease knowing that her doctor was so kind and attentive.

“Ok, let’s take a look at your head.” Annie said as she stood up to stand behind Betsey to take a look. “Ok, I reckon that will need maybe 10 or so stitches. Are you ok for me to do it or would you like a plastic surgeon?”

“What would you recommend?” Betsey’s mom asked.

“I’m a trauma surgeon so I specialise in quickness over beauty. Either way, this is on the back of her head so her hair will cover it. Beauty isn’t a real priority here.” Annie explained. She was perfectly skilled with stitching, but sometimes parents could be a little pernickety over who did it – understandably so.

“Then a trauma surgeon is fine.” Her mother replied. It was clear that she trusted Annie after how quickly she was able to sooth her daughter.

“Ok, let’s get started then.” Annie said as she walked over to the tray Kendra had left in the room with the necessary equipment. Annie got Betsey to move to her side so she could have an easy access to the laceration.

“You’re going to feel a quick pinch ok Betsey? This is just me giving you something to numb the area so you don’t feel the stitches going in.” Annie told her as she lifted the needle and gently gave her the dose. Betsey winced slightly. “You did so good Betsey, that’s the hardest part over ok?”

“Ok” Betsey said quietly as Annie began to stictch Betsey up.

After a few minutes of concentrated silence while Annie did her work, Betsey spoke up again just as quietly. “Dr. Casey?”

“Yeah?”  
  
“What’s a trauma surgeon? Why is it different from other surgeons?” Betsey asked curiously.

“A trauma surgeon provides emergency care as soon as a patient comes into the hospital.” Annie explained simply. There was more to it than that, but it seemed like the easiest way to explain it to a six-year-old.

“So, if there’s a car accident, the person will be brought to you?”

“They will be, yeah.” Annie replied. She’d dealt with countless car wrecks over her short career. “You know, I have two big brothers and they’re both firefighters. So, my brothers rescue people from car accidents and then they bring them to me, and I stitch them back up again.” She told her.

“Wow, that’s so cool.” Betsey said. “You’re like a family of superheroes.”

Annie chuckled, “Yeah, it is pretty cool. Being a doctor is the _best_ job in the world. Though, my mom and my dad both worked for the fire department too, so I’m the odd one out.”

“Why did you decide to become a doctor and not a firefighter?” Betsey asked curiously.

Annie paused for a second, wondering whether she should tell this story. It wasn’t an easy one to tell. While it had a happy and hopeful ending for her, some other people weren’t so lucky. She then figured if it could inspire another little girl like it inspired her, then why not tell it?

“Well…” Annie began. “When I was your age, I got hurt pretty bad and the doctors here at Chicago Med worked really hard to get me better. I knew that I wanted to be just like them after that experience.”

“What happened?”

_25 YEARS AGO_

It was a crisp Saturday morning and Sylvie and Annie arrived at a local park to meet some of Annie’s school friends. Annie had insisted that her mom arrange this trip because there was a funfair going on and Annie _had_ to get on some of the inflatables. Jack and Elliot had also heard that there would be go karts and were keen to come, but then they messed up. _Big time._

Their latest scheme involved painting their beloved dalmatian Sunday bright pink before trying to teach her how to be a back flip. They decided that they best place to do this would be out on the street so _everybody_ could see their success. Unfortunately, their plans to make Sunday into the perfect trickster back fired when the dog jumped up and knocked their elderly neighbour Mrs Minnis over, causing her to break her wrist. As a punishment, they were grounded for the weekend and had to water all of Mrs Minnis’ plants for a month. That also meant that they had to miss out on the go-karting.

“Mom, I can see Joanie!” Annie said as she pointed to his friend who was standing by the railings that led out onto the street. “Can I go say hi?” she asked.

“Sure honey, just don’t run too far ahead, stay where I can see you.” Sylvie instructed as Annie ran over to her friend.

After talking to Joanie for a few minutes, Annie turned around to wave at her mom and let her know she was still in her line of view. Sylvie raised her hand to wave back, but suddenly, there was a loud revving sound and car came barrelling towards the park, it crashing through the barriers in the area that Joanie and Annie were standing in, causing everyone around them to scream and run.

The car came to a smokey halt as Sylvie felt her heart sink to her chest. She didn’t see if the car hit the little girls but she couldn’t see them now. She felt a little disorientated as she stumbled over to the wreckage. The whole park was in chaos. Little kids screaming, adults grabbing their children and running.

Sylvie suddenly went into first responder mode. She turned to the nearest adult beside her, “Call 911, now!” the person she’d called to immediately lifted out their phone. Sylvie ran around the back of the car, calling for Annie. “Annie! Annie!”

Soon enough, Sylvie spotted her daughter lying beside the car. She was conscious, but crying. She rushed over and bent down beside her. She had some cuts across her face and a significant gash on her arm. She was clearly in a certain degree of pain.

“Honey, I’m here, I’m here.”

“I – I jumped out of the way but I still got hurt!” Annie said through her tears. Sylvie felt a rush of relief run through her that Annie didn’t get by the car. She was clearly injured but it could have been a heck of a lot worse.

“Where hurts baby?” Sylvie asked as she looked over her daughter for any signs of obvious injuries.

“My chest” Annie said through his cries.

Sylvie lifted her shirt and saw that she had some bruising along her ribs. Sylvie suspected she may have broken a few from either her fall or being hit by some debris. She needed to get to the hospital now in case her ribs pierced her lung. Thankfully, she could hear the sirens around her.

Sylvie then remembered about Joanie and desperately looked around for her. She saw a group of adults crowding around the little girl. She couldn’t see the condition she was in, but was immediately distracted by some paramedics rushing over to her.

* * *

“What have we got?” April asked as Annie was wheeled into the ER with Sylvie behind them. “Sylvie, hi”

“It’s uh – it’s Annie.” Sylvie said as she tried to keep her emotions in check. “We were at the park and a car rammed through the railing right beside her, she’s been complaining of a sore chest, her ribs are bruised.” She explained as Natalie Manning walked over.

“We’ve got this Sylvie.” Natalie assured her as Sylvie reluctantly nodded her head, her eyes firmly on Annie. She was still conscious, but her tears had barely subsided. Sylvie had encouraged her to stay as still as possible so not to aggravate her chest further, which made the little girl even more anxious. “Go call Matt.”

Sylvie was ushered away from Annie and into the waiting room so the doctors and nurses could do their job. She collapsed on one of the chairs outside and rested her head in her hands for a few moments. _She’s ok Sylvie, you saw her, she’s ok_. She tried to assure herself – but not with much luck. It wouldn’t take much for things to take a sharp turn.

Sylvie lifted out her phone and saw she had a bunch of missed calls and texts from Matt.

_I just saw the accident on the news – are you ok?_

_Sylvie, call me._

_They said two little girls were taken to hospital. CALL ME._

Sylvie felt eternally guilty that she hadn’t called Matt. She was just so wound up in Annie, and although it was the right place for her to be, she wished more than anything Matt had been by her side too. She quickly dialled Matt’s number.

“Sylvie, thank god, what’s going on? Are you ok?” Matt said down the line.

“I’m ok, but Annie, she uh – she was standing by the railing when the car crashed into it. We’re at Med, Matt I – I’m so scared.” She said as she finally started to cry. She just wanted her husband here and holding her and telling her everything would be ok.

“I’m on my way, everything’s going to be fine baby I promise.” Matt told her with certainty. Caseys were warriors – Annie was going to be fine.

* * *

A short while later, Matt rushed through the doors of med and straight over to Sylvie. As soon as Sylvie saw him, she stood up and burst into tears again. He engulfed her in a hug and held her tighter than he ever had.

“You’re ok, it’s ok” Matt soothed as he ran his hand down her blonde hair. “Where’s Annie?” he asked as he moved back to look at her, but he still held onto her. He had no intention of letting her go when she was so upset. In all honesty, he felt like he needed to be held too. His little girl was in serious danger and he felt so powerless that he hadn’t been able to protect her today.

“She’s in the ER, Dr. Manning is looking at her. She’s ok, I think, I mean – she has some cuts that need stitched and I think she broke some ribs, there was a lot of bruising on her chest—”

“Matt, Sylvie” they heard behind them as they turned around and saw Natalie walking towards them. “She’s ok.” She said immediately as they both let out a breath they didn’t realise they were holding in. “We got her a chest x-ray. She has broken three of her ribs, but we’re monitoring the situation closely so they don’t cause any more damage. We have them bandaged so they don’t move and we’re getting a cardiothoracic surgeon to come and look at them. Dr. Latham may feel that she needs surgery to secure them, but we’ll cross that bridge if we get there and it is a very _big_ if.” Natalie made clear. She didn’t want to worry them more than necessary, but she also wanted to make sure that they had all the facts.

“Is she – is she in pain?” Sylvie asked as her lip quivered.

Natalie shook her head, “We’ve given her some pain medication to manage that. She’s uncomfortable and tired but she’s a lot calmer. We’re going to get her moved up the paediatric ward soon, but you can come on through and see her now.”

Matt and Sylvie quickly followed Natalie through the ER towards Annie’s bay. When they got there, they found her talking away to April. She had a little smile on her face, a speckle of her bold personality coming through even in a moment of trauma.

April looked up at the door and smiled when she saw Matt and Sylvie. “Hey Annie, look who’s here.” She said excitedly as she pointed at the door.

Annie turned her head and her smile fell when she saw her parents. Suddenly, she burst into tears and reached out her arms for them. She wasn’t sad that they were here, she was _relieved_ that they were. Matt was the first to rush forward as he sat on the edge of Annie’s bed. He leaned forward and held her head between his hands as hers rested on his arms. He kissed her head and soothingly ran his hand over her blonde curls.

“It’s ok baby, you’re ok, we’re here.” He told her with a gulp. Seeing her cry made him want to cry, but he knew he had to be strong right now.

As April and Natalie stepped away to give the Caseys some privacy, Sylvie stopped them.

“Did you hear anything about the driver?” she asked quietly, taking a quick glance back at Annie and saw that Matt had managed to calm her down and she was no longer crying.

“He had a seizure at the wheel, sent his foot on the accelerator and went flying at the junction. He’s in a stable condition for now.” Natalie told her.

“And Joanie? The other little girl?”

April shook her head, “we haven’t heard, she may have been taken to Lakeshore.” No other little girl other than Annie had been brought in from the park.

Sylvie thanked them before going back into the room. She grinned when she saw Matt and Annie giggling about something.

“What’s going on?” she asked as she sat at the end of the bed behind Matt.

“I was just telling Annie that her brothers are at home and ready to wait on her hand and foot while she gets better” Matt explained.

“They’re going to be like my servants mom” Annie said proudly. She already bossed her brothers around the house, except this time, they might not be so begrudging to do something for her.

Sylvie laughed lightly, “I’m sure they would be more than willing to help their baby sister out.”

There was a light knock at the door as Maggie appeared, “We’re ready to move you up to the kiddie’s ward Annie.”

Annie’s face fell, “Can mommy and daddy come with me?” she asked frantically.

Maggie smiled and nodded, “Of course they can.”

“We’re not going anywhere sweetie” Sylvie assured her as Annie nodded her head with a sense of uncertainty.

“I’m scared that if you leave, I might get hurt again.” She told them in a whisper. Sylvie and Matt’s hearts broke a little. They were Annie’s protectors. They were the ones who always made everything alright again. It was clear she associated her accident with the absence of her parents. To her, she wasn’t safe because she wasn’t near them.

“Annie, you’re perfectly safe here.” Sylvie said again. “whether you’re here with me and daddy or here with the doctors and nurses – you won’t get hurt again.”

As Annie was transported upstairs, Matt and Sylvie held back a little so not to get in the way.

“Are the boys ok?” Sylvie asked as they walked towards the elevator.

Matt nodded, “Yeah, they’re with Severide and Kidd. I figured it would be better if they came by tomorrow once Annie was a little more settled.”

“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.” She replied as she looked at her feet.

“What is it?” Matt asked, instantly picking up on his wife’s downtrodden demeanour.

“I think Annie just got her first taste of real life and… it’s hard to see that. It’s hard to see your sweet little girl realise that life is unfair and cruel. We’re her parents and she sees us as these indestructible beings who are always going to protect her but… I couldn’t protect her today.” Sylvie confessed.

Matt grabbed onto Sylvie’s wrist to stop her from walking on. She turned around to face him and saw the sadness in his eyes.

“This isn’t your fault.” He made clear instantly. “Freak things happen that are completely out of our control… but I know all too well about how easy it is to feel like you’ve failed.” He sympathised. “It’s our job to protect them, but it’s also our jobs to prepare them for the world beyond the safe and comfortable bubble their parents provide.”

Matt comfortingly pushed some of Sylvie’s hair out of her face like he had done so many times before. “We can’t save them from everything, but we can be there to hold them when things fall apart.”

Sylvie circled her arms around Matt’s waist and hugged him. “You always know the right thing to say.”

Matt smiled against her head, “I learnt from the best.” He certainly wouldn’t be so thoughtful if it wasn’t for her.

* * *

The following day, Matt picked up Jack and Elliot and brought them round to see Annie. They were thrilled to see their little sister and vowed to never get annoyed with her always wanted to play ‘little kid games’ with them. Jack also informed her that she tried to sneak Sunday out with them, but dad caught on just as he was about to put Sunday in the boot. Annie’s reunion with their dog would have to wait.

A trickle of visitors came by throughout the day to raise Annie’s spirits. She saw her Auntie Stella and Lizzie, who assured her that Uncle Sev would be round to see her later. She saw Uncle Hermann, Aunt Cindy, Uncle Wallace, Mouch and Trudy, Gallo, Auntie Emily, Uncle Joe, Aunt Chloe and Brianna, Auntie Christie and Violet – and of course Uncle Tom gave her a super special video call that made her smile most of all.

Later that afternoon, Severide arrived in the paediatrics ward. He stood in the doorway of Annie’s room and watching on happily as she and her brothers coloured in together. Annie was carefully instructing them what colours to use and where - he was glad to see that some things would never change. He let them be for a few moments before he got their attention.

“Hey little lady” he greeted as Annie looked up and smiled.

“Hi Uncle Sev” she said happily.

“A little birdie told me that you’ve got some stitches you want to show off…” He teased as he walked further into the room.

Annie lifted up her bandaged covered arm, “I got _seven_ stitches in my arm!” she boasted. The number of stitches the Casey kids had to receive over the last ten years was quite honestly remarkable.

 _“Wow._ ” Severide said as he nodded impressively. “You know, there’s a rule at Chicago Med that if you have more than six stitches, you get extra pudding.”

Annie giggled, “That sounds like a pretty good rule.”

“Oh it is.” Severide nodded. “Where are your mom and dad at?”

“They went to get some coffee.” Elliot told them as Annie started coughing where she sat. The first few coughs went unnoticed by Severide, Jack and Elliot, but before long, Severide grew concerned. It wasn’t stopping and Annie looked like she was struggling to breathe.

“Annie, are you ok?”

She didn’t response and the coughing grew more severe and breathing became more laboured.

“Boys, get the nurse, now!” he told them quickly as the boys frantically ran out of the room. Soon enough, they did one better than the nurse and brought Natalie in.

They were quickly ushered out of the room as Natalie sounded an alarm and a bunch of hospital staff came rushing in to tend to Annie.

“Annie!” Elliot shouted, hoping that somehow his sister would respond to him.

“It’s ok bud, she’s in good hands.” Severide said as he held Jack and Elliot against them. Severide looked up and saw Matt and Sylvie walking towards them, their faces completely ashen.

“What happened?” Sylvie asked quietly. She turned to look through the glass door and saw a swarm of doctors around Annie and nurse trying to intubate her. “ _Oh my god._ ” Sylvie said as she started to tremble. She was fine ten minutes ago, how the hell did this happen?!

They waited outside for what felt like forever before Natalie came outside to tell them what happened.

“Annie had a haemothorax. We’ve put in a chest tube to drain the plural cavity.” Natalie explained.

“So… she was drowning in her own blood?” Sylvie crudely put.

Natalie nodded, “It explains the coughing. But it’s under control. I know it’s scary seeing her with all these tubes” she said, mainly to the boys who looked completely freaked. “But we’re just keeping her asleep to manage the pain. I’ve also spoken with Dr. Latham and he thinks it would be best if we operate and insert screws in her ribs so they don’t cause any more damage.”

“Thank you, Dr. Manning” Matt said gratefully before Natalie silently nodded and walked away. As the boys went back into the room, Natalie suddenly turned back around. “I don’t mean to pile on but you were asking about the other little girl, Joanie?”

Sylvie frowned and nodded her head, “Is she ok?”

Natalie solemnly shook her head, “She died at the park. I’m so sorry.”

Sylvie felt a rush of air leave her in utter shock. A little girl was dead in such a senseless accident – that little girl could easily have been Annie. Her heart broke for Joanie’s family. Matt and Severide looked at Sylvie with utter despair in their eyes. They could see all sorts of emotions flicker over Sylvie’s face as she tried to process everything that had happened today.

Normally, Matt would reach out and hold her – but he was in a stunned silence. Being the strong one wasn’t panning out for him right now. Instead, Severide stepped forward and hugged Sylvie against his chest, her tears finally escaping.

“Annie is alive” Severide told them both. _“She’s alive_.” He repeated.

He knew there wasn’t much more he could say in that moment, it was a desperately upsetting situation but he hoped that a reminder of Annie’s condition would calm them. Sylvie felt a rush of relief run through her at Severide’s words. Their daughter was alive – but someone else’s wasn’t, and that was an impossible thing to comprehend.

* * *

“So you have metal in your chest?” Betsey asked Annie in awe.

“Yeah, here, here and here” Annie said as she pointed to two ribs on her left and one on her right. “I always get searched at the airport after going through metal detectors” she said with a little laugh.

“And you got better after that?” Betsey asked.

Annie nodded, “Yeah, I did. I couldn’t do much for a little while as I healed – but I did get to use my brothers as my servants” she said with a wink as Betsey giggled.

“That’s what brothers are for!” she said with a definitive nod.

“Absolutely.” Annie resolutely agreed.

Betsey frowned suddenly, “I’m really sorry about your friend.”

Annie looked at her feet and gulped, “Thank you… after that accident, I figured if I had the opportunity to save lives like mine or Joanie’s, then I should take it. So I vowed to become a doctor and look at me now.” She said.

“You’re the best doctor Dr. Casey” Betsey said proudly as Annie allowed her to roll back over.

“Well you are all stitched up.” She said as she took her gloves off. “If you go to your local paediatrician in a couple of days they can take the stitches out for you and you’ll be as good as new. Just watch when you’re brushing your hair or taking a shower, it might sting a little.”

“Thank you so much Dr. Casey” Mrs Byers thanked as Betsey nodded her head.

“Thanks!”

“You are very welcome. It was lovely to meet you both” she said politely before she slipped away from the room.

As she walked down the hallway, Annie heard a voice behind her call her back.

“Dr. Casey?” Mrs Byers called as she rushed out of the bay after Annie. “Thank you for looking after Betsey so well. You should have gone into paediatrics.” She joked.

“It’s ok. I expected to see her as a trauma resident in 20 years time.” Annie joked back.

“Something tells me you’ve inspired her for life. Thank you for telling your story.” She sincerely told her. She could see the gratefulness in Mrs Byers eyes, but also the sympathy. She could tell it was a difficult story for Annie to relive.

Annie nodded her head and gave her a grateful smile before Mrs Byers turned back into Betsey’s room. Annie stood there for a moment in quiet contemplation. There wasn’t a day that went by that she didn’t think about Joanie. It could just as easily have been her in her place. As she grew older and learnt to appreciate and truly understand the magnitude of the loss of her friend, she grew more and more determined to live every day to the fullest. She was determined to be a light and make a difference in people’s lives.

Today, she was also keenly reminded of her parents and all they had sacrificed in the lives for Chicago and of course for their own children. She couldn't begin to comprehend the fear that ran through them after Annie's accident. Even when her brothers hurt themselves for the hundredth time doing to same stupid thing as kids, she figured the worry never really settled. They never let them down and right now, all Annie wanted to do was hug them and say thank you. She made a note to do that more often too.

So, that evening, she drove round to her parent’s house and came through the backdoor to find them making dinner in the kitchen.

They both smiled widely at Annie when they saw her.

“Hey sweetie” Sylvie greeted. “This is a nice surprise.”

Annie didn’t say anything. She merely walked around the island and pulled her parents into an unexpected hug. They stumbled slightly in their step before they settled into the hug.

“What did we do to deserve this?” Matt asked with a little laugh.

“Everything. You do everything.” Annie said cryptically.

Sylvie and Matt didn’t question it further. They simply hugged their daughter back and cherished this moment with her. Whether she was a little kid or a strong woman – these hugs were precious and a reminder that in a chaotic world, there was still a heck of a lot of love to be shared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story hit over 500 comments and over 350 kudos last week - so THANK YOU! 
> 
> I see each of you and I am grateful!


	64. Bachelor(ette)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kidd and Severide throw Brett and Casey bachelor and bachelorette parties... and of course nothing quite goes to plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Back to some Matt and Sylvie pre-kids in this chapter. I know these chapters are some people's favourites, so I hope you enjoy!

**Bachelor(ette)**

Sylvie and Matt were sitting at the table in the lounge of 51. The refurbishment of their new home was going smoothly, and they hoped to have it ready in a few weeks so they could move straight into it after their wedding. Today, Sylvie was insistent that they decide on their kitchen work tops by the end of the day, so any free moment Matt got, he was looking at counter tops.

In all honesty, he really didn’t mind whether it was wood, laminate, granite or _whatever_ – but he knew it mattered to his soon-to-be wife, so he knew that _‘sounds good babe’_ wouldn’t fly on this occasion.

“The more I think about it, the more I want wood.” Sylvie said as she scanned through the wood samples on the page. “What do you think of this oak?” she asked.

Matt thought about it for a second before shaking his head, “I think wood too, but I like the walnut better.”

“… agreed.” Sylvie said with a confident nod followed by a short chuckle, “That was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be.”

Matt just gazed mindlessly at her for a moment. He knew it was the simplest thing in the world, but they made a choice _together_ and that meant something. It was little moments like this, little _choices_ like this, in which he knew he’d found the one he was meant to be with.

Sylvie turned her head when she realised, he was staring at her. She gave him a lopsided smirk, “What?” she asked with a little laugh.

Matt shook his head and returned her smirk, “Nothing. You’re just cute when you’re talking interior design.” He teased.

“You’ll be thanking me when our home looks like something out of a magazine” she said as she quickly kissed his cheek as he grinned. He knew from the moment he saw the house that they would turn into the perfect home for them.

“We hate to break up this display of affection…” Stella said as she and Severide sat opposite them – with huge, mischievous smiles on their faces.

 _“…_ hi” Sylvie greeted as she and Matt simultaneously furrowed their brows. “What’s up?”

“Consider this your formal invitation to your bachelor and bachelorette parties this weekend.” Stella said with an excited toothy, grin. It was clear from that expression alone that she and Severide had _big_ plans for them.

“The wedding isn’t for another month” Matt reminded them. Wasn’t it a little early for this?

“We know, but Kelly learnt his lesson after Cruz’ bachelor party that it is just an all-round _bad_ idea to have it so close to shift and the actual wedding day. We figured a month out wouldn’t be a bad idea.” Stella reasoned. She was preparing herself for all eventualities here – especially protests that result in head injuries. "Besides, you have your hands full finishing the house, so now is better than when you're busy moving in."

“That seems fair” Sylvie agreed. The last thing she wanted was for everyone to look hungover in their wedding photos. These photos had already been mentally placed around their new house too. They would be in prime place for visitors to see and also for her to see around the house. This was a day she knew they would want to be reminded of everyday. The whole thing was low key, but that didn’t make it any less special and important.

“What are the plans?” Matt asked, though he had a funny feeling Severide wouldn’t reveal anything.

“It’s a surprise” Severide said with a grin and Sylvie gulped. She trusted Stella to throw her a beautiful bachelorette, but she wasn’t sure she trusted Severide to throw Matt a respectable one.

Severide quickly caught on to Sylvie’s mistrust too. “Brett I can practically see the clogs turning in your head.” He said, snapping Sylvie out of her ‘how many things I can I list that could go wrong on this night out’ trance. “The parties are in our capable hands and they will be nothing but respectable.” Severide assured her.

 _“Eh”_ Stella said with a shrug “Within reason”

Sylvie sighed before narrowing her eyes at Severide; “Just return my fiancé to me in one piece and we won’t have a problem.”

“Aye, aye Captain” he mocked as Sylvie lightly slapped his hand that was resting on the table.

This was going to be an interesting weekend.

* * *

The weekend soon rolled around and almost as soon as Sylvie woke up, Stella was knocking on her door and whisking her away for the day. The word ‘bye’ barely left her mouth before Stella pulled her away from Matt. She insisted that she was a bachelorette for the day and for all intensive purposes, Matt Casey her fiancé – _did not exist._

Along with Emily, they got some breakfast before doing a little shopping and taking a trip to the day spa to pamper themselves for the big bash tonight. It was a really relaxing start to the day, but Sylvie had a feeling that the relaxation wouldn’t last long. She hoped Stella knew her well enough to not take this too far, but only time would tell.

“Brett, I know you’re freaking out” Stella said as they stood in Stella and Severide’s loft that evening waiting for their other guests to arrive.

“I like to be in control, I’m not relinquishing it” Sylvie told her, the nervousness evident in her voice. “Can you at least tell me something about what is about to happen?” she begged as Emily walked over.

“We’ve got some gifts for you, some videos to share and one special surprise before we hit the bars.” Emily revealed with a harmless shrug. “It’ll be fun and you look smoking hot in that dress, my _god”_ Emily complimented Sylvie’s tight dark blue dress – it really was her colour.

Before Stella and Emily could assure her further, there was a knock at the door. Stella clapped excitedly.

“Our first guests are here! Let the games begin…” she said with an eyebrow wiggle as she rushed around Sylvie and Emily to answer the door.

Sylvie sighed and gulped. _Game face Sylvie, this is going to be fun._

* * *

A short while later, the party was in full flow and everybody was having a good time. Stella had invited Matt’s sister too and Sylvie was thrilled to have her here. She and Christie got along really well, and Christie had welcomed Sylvie with open arms. She’d over heard Christie tell Matt one time that while she ‘always liked Gabby’ there was just something about seeing him with Sylvie that really ‘clicked’ and she was so happy that he’d found someone he could grow ‘an actual partnership with’. It was clear that Christie was prepared to get passive aggressive over the short fallings of her brother’s first wife.

After everybody received a drink and some snacks, Stella announced that it was time to open some gifts. Sylvie was really touched that so many of her friends had gone to such an effort for her. She received some beautiful gifts, from bouquets of flowers to ceramics… but then came Stella and Emily’s gift.

“This is from myself and Stella” Emily said as she handed Sylvie the box and bit her lip. Sylvie eyed her best friends curiously. They looked suspicious. Like they’d just handed Sylvie a ticking time bomb or something.

She cautiously opened the box, pulled back the tissue paper and her mouth fell open as she lifted out its contents. She held up some sexy white, lacy lingerie that had everyone in the room squealing and laughing – something that Sylvie couldn’t help but join in with (although she was a little _too_ conscious that her future sister-in-law was in the room.)

“You guys!” Sylvie said in disbelief as she looked the set further. It was amazing and she couldn’t have picked something better out herself, but she was _seriously_ blushing right about now.

“Not that you need to knock him off his feet more than you already have…” Stella began. “But this will _really_ up the anti on your wedding night…” she teased suggestively.

Sylvie gasped and laughed, “Stella!” she playfully scolded before setting the box down. “Thank you all, so much.”

“Oh!” Emily said suddenly as she set her drink down. “We have one more present for you. If everybody would like to turn their attention to the TV.”

Emily and Stella fiddled around with the remote for a few minutes before Stella’s face popped up on screen. It was apparent that she was at work from her clothes and her surroundings, but she had no idea where this was going.

 _“Captain, you got a second_?” she asked as Sylvie’s heart automatically jumped a little bit. It was a little bit crazy to her that even knowing she was _about_ to hear his voice gave her butterflies.

 _“Yeah, what’s up?”_ Matt asked as Stella flipped the camera to reveal Matt doing what he normally did – paperwork.

 _“How would you describe Brett in three words?”_ she asked, Matt stopped what he was writing and sat back in his chair. He still didn’t realise that Stella was recording, and he wasn’t even alarmed that this was a slightly strange question to be asked in the middle of the day. Apparently, he would willingly talk about his soon to be wife any time.

 _“Optimistic, generous, loving.”_ He said after only a second of thought. _“Though I’m not sure just three words really do her justice.”_ he said with a little laugh.

_“What about any annoying habits around the house?”_

Matt shrugged, _“She is constantly tidying up around me cause she can’t deal with the mess I make when planning out construction stuff…”_ he suggested, but his shrug suggested that it really wasn’t a big deal. _“But it all balances out cause the mess annoys her in the first place.”_

Stella chuckled, _“It’s all about balance…”_

Everyone in the room laughed lightly, including Sylvie. “Guilty…” she revealed. She knew it drove him _nuts_ when she wouldn’t leave stuff be, but it drove _her_ nuts that he wouldn’t tidy up after himself. She was, however, silently grateful that they had this petty disagreement. It made everything that little bit more real.

Matt finally turned around and looked at Stella

_“What’s this for anyway?”_

_“Never you mind…”_

Matt nodded, _“Bachelorette stuff, got it.”_ He said, catching on to Stella’s plans.

 _“Well do you have a message for your bride to be and her bachelorettes?”_ Stella asked.

Matt expression softened further as he fully turned in his chair, _“Sylvie Brett you are the best person that I know and marrying you is the easiest decision I have ever made. I love you, enjoy your night, and ladies – please return her to me in one piece…”_ he teased, following Sylvie’s remark to Severide.

Stella turned the camera back on herself, “You heard the man, now stop your _worrying_ and enjoy your night Brett!” she playfully warned. It was like she knew Sylvie would be apprehensive about the plans and needed some assurance that she could enjoy herself and nothing bad was going to happen.

Emily turned the TV off as everyone looked at Sylvie with the biggest smiles on their faces. It was so wonderful seeing someone love their friend so much. She really deserved it.

“That was really sweet, thank you” Sylvie said softly to Stella and Emily who nodded their heads softly back at her.

There was a knock at the door as Stella perked up, “Soppy part of the evening is officially _over!_ ” As she dashed towards the door she turned her head back, “Somebody get Sylvie a drink, she’s going to need it”

Sylvie choked on the drink she already had, “What? Why?” she asked desperately as Stella opened the door and a firefighter appeared behind it.

“Did somebody call the fire department?” the man asked as he reached behind his back, lifted out a speaker, turned some music on and prepared to strip.

Everybody started screaming and cheering as the man worked his way around the room – but Sylvie just stood there in an amused shock.

 _“What_ is going on?!” she asked through a laugh as looked on at the scene in front of her.

“Just some harmless firefighting stripper fun!” Emily told her. “And no full nudity in front of the bride to be – we thought that would maybe be a little too far for you Brett.”

Before Sylvie could respond, a commotion started in front of them. They looked up and saw that the stripper had stopped dancing and suddenly turned a ghostly white. Everyone jumped backwards slightly as the stripper slumped to the floor, smacking his head of the coffee table on the way down.

Naturally, Sylvie, Mackey and Emily sprung into paramedic and doctor mode and rushed over to him while Stella went to get a first aid kit.

Sylvie soon established that he was breathing, but his pulse was racing.

“I think he’s just fainted, but that laceration is going to need stitches” she said as he began to come back around. Sylvie slowly helped him to an upright position. “Hi, can you tell me your name?”

“Ryan” he repeated groggily.

“Hi Ryan, you just fainted but luckily for you, you fainted with three paramedics and a doctor in the room” Sylvie joked with a little laugh.

“Sorry to kill the vibe of your party…” he apologised, clearly embarrassed that his performance had barely started before this happened.

Sylvie shook her head, “It’s ok. It seems kind of fitting that this would happen…”

Sylvie looked up at Emily, Stella and Gianna as they all bit their lip to stop them from sniggering. It appeared that the work of a first responder never stopped…

“Ok, we’re going to get you to med and then we are going to drink. _A lot_.” Stella said as she downed the rest of her glass of wine. She was determined not to let the mood of this party sink.

* * *

“Well, look who it is!” Severide said with a laugh as Stella, Emily, Gianna and Sylvie dragged their feet into Molly’s a short while later. Stella was determined that they wouldn’t end up here tonight, but it appeared the universe had other plans for them. They lasted about 5 minutes in a nearby club with the others, bar Christie who quickly deemed herself _way_ too old for a club, before they bailed for Molly’s.

“What brings you three by?” Hermann asked.

“Let’s just say the party didn’t quite go as planned…” Stella said as she walked away from the trio with Severide as Sylvie went to stand beside Matt at the bar who was looking at her with an amused grin from his stool.

“Yeah, the dancer Stella hired collapsed before he’d even taken his firefighter jacket off, so that kind of killed the vibe…” Sylvie explained as she rested her arm on Matt’s shoulder and took a swig from his beer.

Matt quirked an eyebrow, “Firefighter huh?”

“Oh yeah… but definitely not as handsome as a certain Captain I know” she teased.

Matt let out a dry laugh, “Good to know…”

“What did you guys do all night?” she asked curiously. They all looked surprisingly calm and sober.

“Nothing really. Just stayed here.” He said.

Sylvie looked at him a little surprised. “You really just sat at Molly's all night?” Honestly, she was expecting much bigger things from Severide.

Matt nodded, “Yeah. Severide knows me well and he also knows we’re far too old for anything we may have considered for a bachelor party ten years ago... so tonight is just beers and hockey” he explained happily. This was all he wanted from a bachelor party and Severide knew that – he also knew that it was too good an opportunity to not mess with Brett a little.

Sylvie scoffed, “So he was _deliberately_ making me paranoid?”

“Oh yeah.” He said with a cheeky grin.

“Nice…”

“It appears I was the one who should have been worried about you coming home in one piece after all…” he said as he turned in his chair slightly and wrapped his arm around her waist.

“Hey, you two, get away!” Stella shouted as she came bounding over to the pair. “You’re not supposed to spend any time together on the bachelor/bachelorette day, it’s against the rules!” she whined.

Sylvie narrowed her eyes and pouted, “You brought me here.”

“… _besides_ the point, you need to show some self-control Brett. Say goodbye to your man, come over to us!” she said as she dashed back over to Emily who was waiting in the corner. As far as Stella was concerned, this was still her bachelorette party and there were _no_ men allowed.

Sylvie turned her attention back to Matt, “You know it’s a real pity that we can’t spend any more time together tonight.” She said quietly.

Matt quirked a brow, “How so?”

“Stella bought me some _really_ sexy lingerie and I may or may not have it on right now…” she teased. Initially, her plan had been to sneak away from Stella, Gianna and Emily and go home to her fiancé with her surprise – but this worked out just as well. “I thought I could maybe give you a sneak pre-view of what’s to come on the wedding night.”

Matt gulped as he looked her up and down once. He was about to say they should get out of here when Sylvie pulled away from him.

“Another time though.” She said with a teasing wink as she turned and walked away from him, making sure to snake her hips as she went.

This was going to be a longer night than he had anticipated.

* * *

Matt was distracted. Completely and utterly distracted. No matter what anybody was trying to talk to him about, his mind, and his _eyes,_ kept drifting to his fiancée sitting at the back of the room with her two best friends. On any normal given day, Sylvie constantly invaded his thoughts, but right now – his mind was in overdrive. It was torture not talking to her and holding her and combing his fingers through her shoulder length blonde hair as he kissed her like it was the only thing keeping them alive.

Worst of all – Sylvie _knew_ it was torture. Every now again she would catch his eye and simply smirk before going back to ignoring him. She was playing a dangerous game and he was about to crack.

He managed to catch her eye after around an hour of this torture. He motioned his head towards the door as he walked towards it. Sylvie quickly downed the last of her rose and followed him outside. She assumed they would be heading home, but instead, he grabbed her hand and pulled her down the alleyway beside Molly’s.

Their noses and lips grazed as their breathing already became heavy.

“You ok Casey?” she asked, knowing exactly what the answer would be.

“Not really. My fiancée is sitting in Molly’s and it is torture not being able to touch her” he said against her lips as his hands rested low on her back.

“Well. She’s here now – _what are you going to do about it_?”

Matt needed no further cue as he closed the miniscule gap between them and kissed her. There was nothing slow and steady about this as their tongues fought for dominance. Sylvie’s arms wrapped around his shoulders to steady herself as his hands slipped lower and lower down her back. Kissing her was hypnotic and addictive – he didn’t know if he could ever get enough.

His lips moved from hers and started working down her neck. Sylvie could barely contain herself as he worked on all her sweet spots. His hands were about to slip under her dress when Sylvie grabbed them and stopped him.

“We need to go home. _Now.”_ She demanded as Matt lifted his head and eagerly nodded it. He quickly kissed her again before he took her hand and walked towards the street. They managed to get to the end of the alleyway when Stella and Severide appeared. They were clearly on a mission to find them.

“Oh my god _no!_ You’re supposed to stay far _away_ from each other, you _guys!_ ” Stella whined yet again. This time, Sylvie and Matt internally whined – that was _that_ moment gone. “If it means you get back inside, you guys can spend some time together in there – but this party is _not_ over. And you also have your whole lives to act like horny teenagers, come _on!”_

Matt nodded his head, “We’ll be in in a minute” he assured her as Stella resolutely nodded her head. Severide gave Matt a knowing grin as Matt jokingly punched his arm.

Once their friends were back inside, Matt turned to Sylvie and found her giggling. He loved nothing more than seeing her laugh. She’d been through a lot over her 32 years on this Earth and she really deserved to laugh.

“Stella’s right” Sylvie said as she turned to look at him. “We have our whole lives to act like horny teenagers because I get to marry you in a month.” she said with a dream like quality to her voice.

“Do you really?” he teased as he turned his body and wrapped his arms around her waist.

Sylvie nodded, “Yeah, I do… and I can’t wait to call you husband.” She said as she leaned up. They smiled against each other’s lips before gently kissing them.

“I love you soon to be Mrs Casey” Matt told her quietly.

“I love you too. More than I can tell you.” She replied as they turned till they were sideways. Matt moved his arm around her shoulder as she kept his tightly around his waist, her head planted firmly on his shoulder.

Mrs Casey was something she could _certainly_ get used to.


	65. Parental Guilt 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sylvie feels guilt and fear over leaving Jack and Elliot to go back to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! So this is a rewrite of an earlier chapter titled 'Parental Guilt'. I just felt like there was a lot more I could have done with this chapter, and while this definitely is not a perfect reworking and I'm sure I'll think of *more* I would have liked to have done with it later, but for now, it's just got a little more depth to it. 
> 
> For any upcoming chapters, I have a few little ideas roaming around but I'm not sure how to turn them into full chapters right now. I'm hoping a moment of inspiration will strike at some point!! If you do have any more thoughts on something you'd like to see or where you feel there is a gap in the story, do let me know! It's really helpful for me. 
> 
> One thing I do want to write about is Robbie and Annie... a few people have been asking to see how this all ends up. I am in two minds about it. I'm a sucker for a bit of heartbreak in a story and I have a *very* heartbreaking route for them, or... I could make a super happy ending - I'm the most indecisive person in the world so could take me a while to make up my mind lol let me know if you have any particular preference on it!
> 
> Anywayyyy, rambling paragraph over... I hope you enjoy this rewrite!

** Parental Guilt **

" _I can't do it."_ Sylvie stated as she stared down at her perfect baby boys as they lay side by side in their bassinets. Elliot was content with just staring at the mobile above him, but Jack was much more amused by his _toes_. He was constantly holding them and even sticking them in his mouth from time to time. Sylvie worried that this wasn’t very good for him to be trying to _eat_ them, but a quick phone call to her mother confirmed that it wasn’t abnormal. It was almost like a new-found toy and he would stop it eventually.

 _"Yes, you can."_ Matt encouraged as he lifted their coats from the chair he’d set them on ten minutes ago. He’d brought them in from the hallway in an attempt to make Sylvie realise that they needed to go or they were going to be late, but she just couldn’t tear herself away from her boys.

"They're still so _tiny,_ I can't just abandon them!" Sylvie exclaimed, the tears welling in her eyes as she looked down at her boys who were fairly oblivious to her sadness. Jack and Elliot had just hit 4 months old and Sylvie decided it was time she got back to work. She loved being at home with her boys more than anything, but she also really missed her job. She didn't feel like she had to sacrifice one for the other. She could be an amazing mom while still serving this city in what she considered to be the best job in the world - but that didn't make this moment any more difficult. She felt a rush of emotions and she knew that it might take a while to come to terms with.

As much as she wanted to start working again, she knew she would miss being at home with them. The boys were finally in a good sleep pattern and their little personalities were starting to show. Jack was without a doubt the loud, boisterous twin. Matt and Sylvie figured they would have their hands full with him as he got older. There was just a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Elliot was a lot calmer. He was a very sweet little boy who was very attached to his brother. Any time they weren't near one another, he would cry and cry until he could see Jack again. It was the cutest thing in the world. They supposed they had spent 9 months in a cramped space together. It was bound to create a bond.

"What if they need me?" Sylvie asked as she finally turned around to look at Matt, the fear and desperation evident in her eyes. Sylvie didn’t even say good morning when she woke up this morning – she was straight into the boys’ room to cuddle them and spend time with them.

"Joanna will call if there's a problem" Matt told her calmly. They'd interviewed a dozen nannies and they knew they'd found the perfect fit with Joanna. She was truly amazing with them, but it still didn't bring much comfort to Sylvie.

"What if she can't tell them apart?"

"… they're not identical babe." Matt reminded her. She was really clutching at straws now. Yeah, they looked _similar,_ they were brothers after all, but they were fraternal twins. Elliot's hair was a little darker than Jack's and Jack had a little mole on his neck that Elliot didn't have for starters.

"I just don't want them to hate me." Sylvie said sadly as she turned around and looked down at them again. She couldn't help but feel guilty about doing this. She didn't want her boys to grow up feeling like their mother prioritised her job over being with them.

Matt wrapped his arms around Sylvie's shoulders from behind and kissed the side of her head, "How can they resent you when they feel your love every time you are with them?" he asked quietly as Sylvie leaned back against him with a light sigh. "I get it. I felt the guilt too" Matt sympathised. He'd been back at work for a lot longer, having only taken 4 weeks off to get things settled at home and he felt guilt going back. He felt like he was leaving Sylvie to do everything, so he tried to do everything he could when he was home. "But as they grow up, they're going to learn about your job and they're going to see all the good that you do in this world and they're going to admire you and respect you for it. I promise you that."

"Right back at you Captain" Sylvie responded quietly as she turned her head and Matt brushed his nose against hers affectionately. Sylvie knew that their boys were going to grow up and see their dad as their firefighting hero. How could they not?

"Now come on… let's go fight some fires." He said as she finally took her coat from him. Sylvie slowly turned back to Elliot and Jack and planted multiple kisses all over them before Matt managed to coax her out the door with the promise of picking up pastries on the way.

As they were driving through the streets of Chicago, Matt kept taking glances over at his wife. She wasn’t saying a word and was staring mindlessly out of the window. He knew that as soon as the first bells went off she would be in the zone. She was amazing at her job and nothing stood in her way on a call – but he would at least like her to try and walk into the firehouse with a semblance of a smile on her face.

“Sylvie?” he asked, but got no response. “Sylvie.” He said a little louder, causing her head to snap around.

“What were you saying?” she asked absentmindedly.

Matt sighed, “I was going to ask you if you’re ok. Staring mindlessly out of the window suggests to me that you’re not.”

Sylvie shrugged lightly, “I’m just going over everything in my head, making sure I have all my bases covered with the boys.” She told him. “Joanna, a backup plan if something happens with Joanna, making sure I pumped enough milk, thinking when I'm going to pump on shift…” she rhymed off before sighing and rubbing a hand over her forehead. “I just don’t feel great about this. I feel like I’m doing something wrong.” She confessed. She couldn’t quite explain why she felt that way, but it was there and that was the reality. “We’re not just leaving them from 9-5, we’re leaving them for 24 hours. They’re so little, they need their parents.”

“They got the next best thing honey” Matt reminded her as he thankfully pulled up outside the fire station so he could not properly turn to look at her. “They’re with Joanna all day and then Christie is looking after them in the evenings. She is an amazing mom and she is so thrilled about getting to look after our boys.” He told her with a smile. “They’re in perfectly safe hands and then _we_ get 48 uninterrupted hours with them.” Matt had been taking less construction jobs since the boys were born. He wanted to take whatever time with them that he could. 

Sylvie reluctantly nodded her head at Matt’s words before looking into her lap. Her mom guilt was eating her alive right now – and she was a little scared that the guilt would transfer to Matt.

“I’m sorry for being so worked up about it—”

Matt immediately shook his head, “You have nothing to be sorry for. This is totally normal.” He assured her. “You’re going to go into that firehouse and it’s probably going to feel like you never left” he said with a little laugh. “And then when you do leave, you get to go back to the best thing. You can live in both worlds Sylvie. The love you have for the job and your boys is never going to change.”

Sylvie finally nodded and looked up at him, “Thank you.” She said quietly as she leaned across the seat and kissed him lightly. She unexpectedly smiled against his lips, causing Matt to look at her curiously. “I can’t believe I get to go back to being PIC Brett.”

Matt grinned back at her. He loved seeing her devotion to her job shine through. More than anything, he loved seeing her finally smiling about being back.

“Also” she said as she pulled back slightly. “I think we’re going to need to rechristen your quarters” she said with a serious nod.

Matt quirked a brow, “I’m listening…”

“Well, the last time we got busy in there I was pregnant and now we’re entering a _new_ phase. We need to christen it as PIC Brett and Captain Casey – the _parents_. Not 'the parents to be'.” She explained. It was a bit of a ropey explanation - but Matt didn’t care. Any justification for rechristening his quarters was ok with him.

“You make a strong case PIC Brett. I’ll see what I can do” he told her, putting on his Captain’s voice that she loved so much.

Sylvie smirked, “Something tells me you’ll make the time Captain.” She said in a whisper. She gently patted his chest before jumping out of the car and practically skipping towards the apparatus floor.

Matt watched her with a smile – it was good to have her back.

* * *

Thankfully, Sylvie had a good shift. They responded to a couple of vehicle collisions and a minor house fire, but other than that, Sylvie spent the time gelling back in with 51 – and of course following through with the agreement she and Matt reached – _more_ than once. Matt certainly got _a lot_ more paperwork done when Sylvie wasn't here...

Sylvie did think about her boys throughout the day. Thankfully, they weren’t really any sad or regretful thoughts. She’d checked in with Joanna and then Christie periodically, who informed her that the boys were happy as can be and she was so thankful. It was really all she needed to hear. It also helped that 51 was more than willing to gush over the little Caseys with Sylvie. There was plenty to gush about after all.

As much as she enjoyed her first shift back, by 8am the next day, Sylvie was ready to go. She was sitting impatiently in the lounge waiting for Matt to finish up some paper work and it was driving her a little crazy. She was getting antsy – he knew that she was desperate to get home to Jack and Elliot, so what was taking him so long?

Once the last person of second shift walked out the door, Sylvie cracked. She stormed out of the lounge and round to Matt’s quarters, just as he walked out the door.

"Matt, where have you been, I—" she began before looking down to see a baby in Matt's arms. Not just _any_ baby of course – _her_ baby.

"Elliot" she said in surprise. "What are you doing here baby?" she cooed in confusion as she ran her finger over his smooth cheek.

Matt smirked, "This was supposed to be a little surprise… but you said you worried about leaving the boys here and going to your job and them feeling like you abandoned them and I was thinking about that all day.” He began as Sylvie wondered where this was going. “It didn't take me long to realise that it should never feel like one or the other. 51 is your family too. This is like our second home… and will always be a home to the boys too." He said as Sylvie was at a slight loss for words. He always had a solution to her problems. He always knew exactly what do and exactly what to say. "So I called Christie and had her bring the boys down her for their first official tour. I know it’s not quite the same as being at home with them but we’ll adjust. Any time you want them here, it can happen.”

Sylvie nodded her head, “Surprisingly my separation anxiety has eased a little” she revealed calmly. “Don’t get me wrong, I was about to light you _up_ for not walking out of this door with me at 8am on the _dot_ …” she warned as Matt snickered. “But… I guess being away from them makes coming home to them that much sweeter.” She said as she ran her hand over Elliot’s little fist. “Where is your brother baby?” she asked, only now realising that Jack was nowhere to be found.

“Severide has him. He insisted on giving him the full run down on the squad, but he wanted to do it separately… apparently you take more in on a one-on-one - even babies." Matt said with a snort as Sylvie laughed. Severide was already the best honorary uncle to Jack and Elliot and they knew the boys would admire him so much as they grew up.

"Starting them young, huh?"

"Oh yeah…" Matt said as he looked down at Elliot who was staring back up at him with eyes full of wonder. "This little dude on the other hand is just dying to know all about truck 81" he said happily as he kissed his son's head. "Baby smell… just the best" Matt said as he quickly kissed Sylvie and began walking away with Elliot. He talked away to him all about firefighting as if the baby could understand, but it surprisingly brought so much comfort to Sylvie. They could combine the two things they loved most in this world – their jobs and their family. There was no need to feel guilt, there was no need to worry. Their boys would always be surrounded by love and the best role models in the world.

What more could she ever want for her boys?


	66. Ringer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt has a rough call and is reminded of an offer Sylvie made a while ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cause I needed some fluff!
> 
> I hope you enjoy :)

**Ringer**

The crew of 51 drove back to the station in silence. They were tired, dirty and completely defeated. They’d received a call to a apartment block fire just before midnight and it was now nearing 3.30am. The blaze – which upon first glance looked relatively contained – turned out to be worse than expected. It took them a while to knock it down and they weren’t able to save everybody. They lost a mother and her young son and it was a difficult blow. They did everything they could, but they knew the reality of their job. They couldn’t save everyone – but that didn’t mean the anger and upset didn't hurt every time.

Matt stepped out of the truck as Kidd backed it into the station. He felt like he was in an out of body experience right now. The difficult late night calls were always hard to process at the time. What he did know, however, was that there was only one thing he wanted to do in that moment – he wanted to hold his wife and tell her that he loved her.

As his feet led him to the ambulance, he heard Gallo speak up behind him.

“Captain, can I take your turn out gear?” he asked as Matt snapped back into reality.

“Uh… yeah, yeah thanks.” He mumbled as he handed him his jacket and slipped his trousers off to hand over. “I’m just going to go talk to—” he began as he turned back to ambo – but was stopped in his tracks when he saw Mackey pull in with someone other than Sylvie.

 _Crap. He’d forgotten. Sylvie wasn’t here_. She was on maternity leave and only working for the CFD during the day. Their twins were due to be born in just over a month and Sylvie felt like she was about to pop and a good night's sleep was her best friend right now - especially when it was rarely achieved.

The reality that Sylvie wasn’t here never really sunk in for Matt. He always expected to bump into her in the hallways or find her hiding out in his quarters to escape the noise in the lounge. The fact that she wasn’t here right now made this situation even worse for him. She wasn’t here to bring him comfort, she wasn’t here to support him, and he missed it. He knew he would be seeing her in a few hours, but it just wasn’t the same. This _place_ wasn’t the same without her. She’d left an indelible mark and while he was eternally grateful for the lives she was growing; he couldn’t wait to have her back in these hallways doing what she did best.

Matt trailed his feet back to his quarters and plonked down at his desk. He ran his hand over his hair before his eyes fell on the photograph he kept of himself and Sylvie in the corner. She was beaming brightly, and it was a true reflection of her beautiful soul and the joy she brought to his. He knew he had struck gold when she came into his life.

Matt looked at his watch and saw that it had just hit 3.30am. He was suddenly reminded of a time a few years back after he was almost shot during a call. Sylvie had been the one to see right through his ‘I’m fine’ attitude and encouraged him to get help. She’d even encouraged him to ring _her_ at 2 in the morning if he needed someone to talk to.

He knew she would be asleep, and he didn’t want to disturb her, but he couldn’t help but lift his phone and dial her number. The phone rang for only a few seconds before her voice appeared at the end of the line.

“You have excellent timing, I just finished my _4 th_ bathroom trip since I got into bed at 10.30pm…” Sylvie said down the line as Matt couldn’t help but smile. “I swear these babies think my bladder is a _beanbag,_ they will _not_ lay off it.”

“I’m glad I didn’t wake you” Matt replied quietly as he leaned back in his chair, his heart warming at the sound of her voice.

“Well even if you had have woken me up, you know you are more than welcome to do so any time Captain.” She assured him with a little giggle, confirming what Matt already knew. “What’s up?”

“I was just thinking about you and how I never have to doubt that you’ll show up for me.”

“Well I did say I’d keep my ringer on for you and I meant it.” She replied softly, the memory clearly fresh on her mind as well. When Matt didn’t reply, she could instantly tell that something was wrong. For starters, he never really took up her late-night phone calls offer because he never _had_ to – but now… something was off. “Are you ok?” she asked quietly.

Matt sighed, “We just had a rough call. We lost a mother and her little boy and there is no way to reconcile that in my head. I know we have to keep charging forward but I think this one is going to take a little time.”

“I think that’s perfectly reasonable Matt.” Sylvie made clear. “I know they tell us to never look back but sometimes we have to. Sometimes it’s the only way we’ll get through. We have to let ourselves feel the difficult calls or we’ll crumble.”

Matt nodded his head, “Yeah, you’re right.” He agreed. They stayed on the line in silence for a few minutes before Matt spoke up again. “I really wish you were back at 51. I wish we were lying cramped in my bunk but not caring because we were together and that’s all that mattered.” They found themselves in that position a lot. They rarely had any time for each other during the day, but sometimes short 5 minute moments spent cramped in that bunk were all they needed.

Sylvie laughed lightly down the line, “I miss that too… and I’ll be back before you know it.”

“I know, but it’s really not soon enough.” Matt said with a sigh. “I’ll let you get back to sleep before our boys decide to wake you up again.”

Sylvie quirked a brow and smirked, “Boys huh?” she asked. They didn’t know what they were having, but it appeared Matt thought he knew.

Matt shrugged, “Just a hunch… I’ll see you in a few hours. I love you.”

“I love you too, bye”

When Matt hung up the phone, he felt a real weight lifted off his chest. He always found it remarkable that she could instantly make him feel calm with just the sound of her voice. He knew that it was rare to find someone like that, and he treasured it every day.

Matt soon found the energy to shower and get cleaned up before he collapsed in his squeaky bunk. He was in a half asleep state when he heard his door open and some light footsteps walk towards him. He was about to open his eyes when he felt a soft hand rest on his arm and his bed lower slightly as someone sat beside him.

 _“Hey. Captain._ ” The voice said in a whisper as he finally opened his eyes and met the face of his wife.

He looked at his watch before looking back at her and feeling entirely confused by her presence.

“… is this a dream?” he asked groggily as Sylvie laughed lightly.

“This is very much real.” She replied.

“What are you doing here?”

“You said you missed snuggling in your bunk, so here I am.” She said with an innocent shrug as Matt immediately make the space for her and allowed her to lie down beside him. Her back was pressed against his torso as his hand slipped around her stomach, resting on her protruding belly. He knew that he was right to think this was exactly what he needed right now.

“You drove all the way over here at 4am just to lie in this squeaky old bunk with me?” He asked as he smiled against her head.

“Maybe…” she said as she smirked back, feeling his against her. “I couldn’t get back to sleep. I miss this place as much as you miss having me here.”

Matt held onto her that little bit tighter, wishing they could stay like this for longer than a few hours.

“What do you think about spending the whole day in bed tomorrow?” he asked hopefully. Those were quite frankly his favourite kind of days and he was in desperate need of one right now. Everything else could wait.

“That sounds _amazing_ … but there’s one condition.” She said as she turned her head to look at him, “These babies have been craving those salted caramel milkshakes only you can make to _perfection,_ so we may need a steady flow of them tomorrow.”

Matt grinned, “You’ve got yourself a deal” he said with a little laugh as he quickly kissed her before they succumbed to some much-needed sleep.


	67. Get it Right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt's niece Violet has a favour to ask.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! So I wanted to introduce Violet into this story somehow, so I just started writing and this is what came of it... I hope you enjoy!

**Get it Right**

_Psst… daddy! Daddy wake up! Hellooooo”_

Matt groggily turned his head to the side and slowly opened one eye to see who was disturbing him from his sleep. It was a Sunday and when they weren’t on shift, Sunday was lie in day – no matter _what_ their kids tried to tell them. All too often, they came bounding into the room looking for breakfast and cartoons to start their weekend off. Sylvie eventually started leaving a packet of pancakes in the room the night before, so they didn’t have to move. The five Caseys then snuggled into the bed, ate their pancakes, and watched cartoons right there.

Matt was particularly determined to get his lie in today. They’d had a busy shift and he was in _desperate_ need of a couple more hours – but it turned out his 5-year-old daughter had different plans.

“It’s early.” He grumbled as he turned his head back around and closed his eyes. He felt the bed dip slightly as Annie clambered onto it and sat on her knees beside him.

“I know daddy, but you still have to get up.” She told him as she gently patted his cheek.

“Nope…” He said as opened one eye again and looked at her. “Come here” he said as he pulled her on top of him causing the little girl to giggle. She lay flat across his chest as he wrapped his arms tightly around her. This used to be Annie’s favourite sleeping position as a baby. There was a period of around 3 months in which she would not fall asleep on anybody else but Matt – so nights when he was on shift were particularly difficult for his daughter.

“How are you so cuddly?” he asked as he held her tighter with his cheek rested against her blonde curls. His baby certainly wasn’t a baby anymore – but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t try and get these cuddles in whenever he could.

“ _You’re_ cuddly.” Annie countered as she completely forgot why she came up here to wake her dad in the first place. She loved these quiet moments with her dad just as much as he did.

After a few moments of peace with his daughter, Matt finally realised that Sylvie wasn’t beside him. He could also faintly hear the boys quarrelling downstairs and the pitter patter of Sunday’s paws against the tiles in the kitchen. He checked the clock and was right to assume that it was unusual for his family to be up at this time on a Sunday.

“Where’s mom?” Matt asked Annie, finally suspecting she had a purpose for coming up here.

“She’s downstairs with Violet.” Annie said nonchalantly against his chest.

Matt lifted his head slightly and looked down at his daughter _; “Violet?_ As in your cousin Violet?”

Annie giggled, “Who else would I be talking about daddy? That’s why I came to wake you.”

Matt furrowed his brow. As happy as he was to hear that his niece was downstairs, it was unlike her to drop by unannounced. Any time she did that, well… it was because she wanted something. Violet's teenage years with two divorced parents had not been easy on her and she was yet to resolve some of those issues now that she was in her twenties. She was always getting herself into some bother and Christie _swore_ Violet was why she went grey so young.

_“Thank god for hair dye and tequila Matt.”_

She had told her little brother back in the day. That specific phrase came just before the boys were born too, sending Matt’s blood pressure up as he feared parenting teenagers. Jack and Elliot had just turned nine and their teenage years were approaching a little too quickly for his liking.

“Why is she here so early?” Matt asked absentmindedly.

Annie turned and sat on Matt’s stomach and then cupped his cheeks in her little hands, “To see us _silly_ ” she told him with a playful eyeroll.

“Of course…” Matt replied with a breathy laugh. His daughter really had a heck of a lot of attitude when she wanted to. “Come on” He said as he manoeuvred them off the bed, throwing Annie playfully over his shoulder in the process. “Downstairs we go” he announced as he marched downstairs with Annie in fits of laughter over his antics.

As they walked into the kitchen, they found Violet sitting at the island with Jack and Elliot as she talked to Sylvie who was standing on the other side.

“Hey Violet” Matt greeted happily as he set Annie down and walked over to hug his niece. He couldn’t quite believe that his niece was almost _thirty_ – he felt ridiculously old suddenly.

“Hey Uncle Matt!” she replied with a bright smile as she hugged him tightly. While she still saw her father, Matt had been a much more prominent and respected father figure in her life. She easily trusted her uncle with more than Jim, especially after she discovered what he tried to do to her mom during their divorce.

“What brings you by?” he asked as he walked around the island, quickly kissed Sylvie’s cheek and then reached for the coffee pot.

“Well I couldn’t resist an opportunity to visit my favourite cousins” she said as she smiled down at the three Caseys beside her.

“We’re your only cousins Violet” Jack reminded her through a mouth-full of cereal as Sylvie quickly scolded him.

“That’s why you’re my favourite” she replied with a wink before turning back to Matt and Sylvie. “I hate to barge in so early, but I was on this side of town and actually had a quick favour to ask…” she said cautiously. She didn’t want to take advantage of their good natures, but she _really_ needed their help.

“What’s up?” Sylvie asked, trying to hide the uncertainty in her voice.

“Well, as you know, my 30th birthday is approaching which is altogether horrifying and exciting” she said as he face grimaced before beaming in such a short space of time. “And I cannot go into a new decade without a party, it would be a _total_ injustice.”

Matt and Sylvie looked at each other with knowing looks. While Sylvie didn’t know Matt when he turned 30, he remembered _her_ 30th birthday bash all too well. There was a _lot_ of tequila going around as Sylvie desperately tried to keep up with Foster but to no avail… it resulted in a killer headache the next day and she walked around 51 with sunglasses on the entirety of shift.

“You’re _so_ right Violet” Annie said from her stool at the island. She would hate to miss out on a birthday party, she loved any opportunity for cake.

“Ok, what did you have in mind?” Matt asked, wondering how this involved them.

Violet perked up as she prepared to reveal her plan, “Well, since mom moved into her apartment because the house was getting to big and my dad is a _jackass_ who I really don’t have time for right now – I need a venue and I think that casa Casey would be the perfect party palace. The perfect _respectable_ party palace of course.” she quickly added.

Sylvie raised her eyebrows, “You want to have your party… _here_?” she questioned with a gulp. Her house was her pride and joy, the thought of it being trashed really did _not_ sit well with her.

“I figured we could just use the kitchen, dining room and garden. I know you love your house Sylvie and I wouldn’t want to destroy it on you, so minimal space.” Violet insisted – she’d clearly thought this one through.

Matt looked at Sylvie and could practically see the veins bulging out of her head as she tensed at the thought of Violet’s friends trashing her house. He sighed and decided he should try and be a voice of reason here. “Violet” He began, gaining his niece’s attention. “We appreciate that you want to celebrate your birthday, but the last time you had a party it didn’t end so well…” he recalled. He remembered gaining a frantic phone call from his sister after Violet’s 21st birthday party.

“What happened?” Elliot asked curiously.

“Auntie Christie had to clean up _a lot_ of vomit…” Violet told him as she awkwardly screwed up her face in regret as Elliot scrunched up his face.

“That’s _gross_ Violet, what kind of parties are you throwing that people are _sick_?” He asked innocently.

“Bad ones honey, parties that you will _never_ go to.” Sylvie said quickly. She knew it was highly unlikely she could stop her kids from going to some pretty wild parties, but maybe striking a little bit of fear in them now would remind them to be cautious in the future…

“But the bad parties are totally behind me, I’m going to be 30 for god’s sake.” Violet reminded them. To Matt, age was just a number. He knew plenty of people who were fairly wild and immature well into their 30s – _Kelly Severide was case and point_. “And I don’t want it to be like my 21st, I want it to be completely chill. I will organise everything, including the clean up afterwards – you won’t have to worry about a thing.” She insisted. “And… I’ll give you three free babysitting offers to cash in whenever you please.” She said to sweeten the deal as Matt and Sylvie suddenly became a lot more interested.

Sylvie looked at Matt and gave him the expression that said ‘she’s your niece, it’s your decision.’ She did that a little too often when it came to his side of the family…

“Ok, you can use the house” Matt agreed as Violet jumped up in glee. “But if _anything_ is out of place—”

“You can add an extra three babysitting gigs to my offer.” She added. She seemed to be hotly optimistic that this would work out for her. “Thank you _so_ much!” she said as she darted around the island and hugged her aunt and uncle tightly. “This is going to be the best party _ever._ ”

* * *

When the day of the party came, Matt and Sylvie decided it would probably be best if they made themselves scarce. Initially, it was because they didn’t want to cramp Violet’s style, but they also realised they’d just spend the whole time being parents and cleaning up after people and feeling on edge.

They decide that they would take the kids out for some dinner and maybe to a movie afterwards. However, it was a Saturday night and they couldn’t find a single place that had a table available for them, so they ended up taking them to Molly’s. They knew it was probably a low point in their parenting that they ended up bringing their kids to a bar, but also, it was Molly’s! It didn’t count!

“Oh no. No _way_ , no kids in a bar what is wrong with you two?!” Hermann exclaimed as they Caseys straggled in and the kids jumped up on the bar stools.

“I’ll have whatever’s on tap Uncle Hermann!” Jack announced proudly. Matt and Sylvie’s eyes widened as Matt rested his hand on Jack’s head as his son looked up at him.

“How do you know a phrase like that?”

Jack shrugged, “TV.”

Sylvie let out a scoff before turning to Hermann, “Three lemonades please.”

Hermann clenched his jaw and sighed as he reluctantly got them their drinks.

“You know little Caseys” He said as he came back and leaned on the bar with his elbows. “As cute as you are, you’re terrible for business.” He commented. The last thing people wanted to see when they came into a bar was _children_.

Elliot leaned forward to match Hermann’s stance, “cuteness is never bad for business Uncle Hermann.” As Hermann playfully glared at his retort.

“To what do we owe the honour anyway?” he asked as he set two beers in front of Matt and Sylvie.

“My niece is having a party at our house for her birthday, so we thought it would be best to clear out of the way. Every restaurant we went to was full, so here we are.” Matt explained as the door opened and Cruz and Chloe appeared.

“Hey Caseys” Chloe greeted happily as she moved to hug Sylvie. “This was not a sight I was expecting to see tonight.”

“Yeah, we just drove by your place, looks like there is _quite_ the rager going on, we were pissed we weren’t invited!” Cruz joked as he playfully punched Matt’s arm.

Sylvie and Matt’s faces fell a thousand miles. “I’m sorry, did you say a _rager_ was going on at my house?” Sylvie asked.

Cruz nodded, “Yeah, really loud music, people out in the front, looked like there was some strobe lighting on the inside. The neighbours did _not_ look happy…”

Oh _hell._

So much for trusting Violet when she said this would be a respectable evening.

Sylvie turned to Chloe with anger clearly spread across her face, “Would you mind watching these three just for an hour, please?” she asked with a clenched fist as Chloe nodded, feeling a little intimidated by the look on Sylvie’s face.

Sylvie turned to Matt before marching out the door towards the car. It only took Matt a few seconds to follow suit.

This was not going to be pretty.

* * *

They could hear the music and shouting a few blocks from the house. As they pulled into their street, it was littered with cars and people all walking towards their house. What the hell was happening here? How did Violet even know this many people?

Matt haphazardly parked in their driveway before storming out of the car. Sylvie was quick on his tail and before he could burst in the door, she grabbed his arm and pulled him back. Her anger had subsided, but Matt's had clearly grown.

“Calm head Matt.” She reminded him. She and Matt were always telling their kids that a calm head led to the best outcomes in most situations – and this should be no exception.

He let out a breath and almost reluctantly nodded his head as he walked into the house. The scene was just as bad as they thought. People, litter and alcohol _everywhere._ The music was blasting through the house and they could barely see in the darkness that engulfed it so that the coloured spotlights hit that little bit better.

They manoeuvred quickly through the house and soon found Violet in the kitchen getting herself something to drink.

 _“Violet!”_ Matt shouted over the music as she quickly turned around like a deer caught in headlights. Meanwhile, Sylvie was surveying her kitchen, trying to stop herself from crying at the mess. She _loved_ her kitchen. This was a little too much for her.

“Uncle Matt! You’re home early…” she mumbled as she desperately looked around herself, trying to think of an explanation.

“Cut the music.” He told her with a deep glare as she quickly nodded her head and raced into the living room.

Someone with a megaphone walked past Matt and Sylvie shouted and singing through it and Matt saw an opportunity. He grabbed the megaphone from him, walked into the dining area, stood on a chair and lifted it to his mouth.

As soon as the music cut out, he began his announcement, “if anybody is still in this house in the next 3 minutes, I will report every last one of you to the Chicago Police Department. _Move._ ”

Everyone quickly rushed out of the house, almost trampling over each other in the process. Sylvie couldn’t quite believe that there were so many _30 year olds_ here who were acting like _18 year olds._ She understood wanting to party and have a good time – but not at the cost of someone else’s home.

As soon as the last person was gone and the front door slammed behind them, Matt jumped off the chair and walked towards Violet who had an incredibly guilty look on her face.

“What the hell happened here, Violet?” he demanded to know.

“I swear I only invited a handful of people but they took it as an open invitation and things kind of escalated…” she explained as they surveyed the mess around them.

 _“Kind of_?” Matt asked in disbelief. Kind of was an understatement.

“It’s not a big deal Uncle Matt, I’ll clean it up—”

“It _is_ a big deal Violet, you violated our trust.” He said as he looked at Sylvie, who knew it was best to just let Matt take this one. “At 30 years old, I thought that would be something you would understand.”

“Guess I didn’t have the best role models to teach me how to respect others, huh?” she shot back, as Matt didn’t respond. It was rare that Violet actually showed how she was truly feeling, and this was a moment of vulnerability that he knew he had to respond to.

“I’m going to go pick up the kids…” Sylvie said as she backed out of the room, wanting to give Matt and Violet some privacy to have a serious talk.

Violet slumped down on one of the island stools, her face grimacing as she realised she’d sat on some food someone left on the chair.

“Great…” she grumbled as she moved the food and let it splat on the island.

Matt took a minute before he sat beside her, ready to have a heart to heart and hopefully make a difference.

“Violet, look – I know you had a rough deal growing up with your parents divorce and your dad being— _Jim._ ” He said diplomatically. There was a lot more he could say about him, but now wasn’t the time and Violet didn’t need to hear it. “I get it, I really do.” He sympathised. He didn’t exactly have an easy upbringing either. “It’s difficult to deal with, but you can either let that experience swallow you whole and use it as a crutch or you can learn from it and grow from it. You don’t need to throw these wild parties to feel something. You have a lot of people who love you and want to see you thrive.”

Violet sighed as she looked at her hands, “I know I just – I guess I just have never wanted to grow up. But it’s probably time.” She confessed. “I should never have carried around this anger from my teenage years till now. It’s not healthy. I can’t change what dad did, but I can change how I respond.”

Matt nodded proudly, a faint smile forming on his mouth, “Yeah. You can.” he didn't expect to so willingly self-reflect, but it had clearly been on her mind long before she threw this party.

“I’m really sorry about all of this… when I’m finished cleaning, it will be like nothing ever happened. I really don’t want to upset Sylvie, I know how much she loves this house.”

“She does love this house, but she also loves _you_ and is incredibly forgiving.” Matt assured her. There was no way Sylvie would lose her cool with Violet over this. It just wasn’t in her nature.

Violet grinned, “You lucked out with her Uncle Matt. Seriously, I have no idea how you managed to marry someone as amazing as her.”

Matt grinned, “I ask myself that question every day.”

* * *

A little while later, Matt had started to get ready for bed when he heard his kids run up the stairs and into their rooms. Soon enough, Sylvie appeared at the door way and walked towards him.

“So hopefully our kids won’t be too scarred over the fact that we left them in a bar…” she joked as Matt smiled back at her.

“We did say we were never going to get this parenting thing _completely_ right…” he joked back as Sylvie quickly kissed his cheek from behind before sitting on the ottoman at the end of their bed to take off her shoes.

“Where’s Violet?” she asked, figuring Matt wouldn’t let her leave when the house was still a mess.

“In the guest room, I hope that’s ok. We’ve got a big clean up job in the morning.”

“Of course it’s ok. What did you say to her?”

“In a nutshell – it’s time to stop letting her dad’s _assy_ parenting define her. She has to learn from it and be better because of it.” He said as he angrily moved around. His shoulders were tense and Sylvie could tell that he still wasn’t ok about this situation.

“Why do I get the impression you’re still a little wound up?”

“I know it’s been a long time, but what Jim did – it still pisses me off.” He confessed as he moved to sit beside her.

Sylvie rested her hand on the back of his neck and comfortingly ran her fingers through the ends of it.

“It hasn’t really been that long because Violet and Christie have been dealing with the aftermath for a long time.” Sylvie reminded him. She didn’t think it was unreasonable for him to hold some resentments about everything. Jim may have caved under Matt’s threats all those years ago, but he still wasn’t a good dad to Violet. It was always about money with him.

“Which _sucks._ It makes me think about the kind of parent I try to be and whether I live up to those expectations of myself.” He added. They joked about not being perfect parents and taking their kids to a bar… but it was a genuine fear of his considering what he grew up with. It was why he held on to even the littlest moments of love with his kids – like cuddling Annie in the mornings.

“I never want our kids to doubt how much we love them and this family. Violet was collateral in something that shouldn’t have been so messy and she was never given the chance to get over that. It was unfairly buried.” Matt explained. “I hope the worst thing that ever happens with our kids is that we take them to a bar” he said with a humorous scoff. He knew he was a good dad. He didn’t need anybody to tell him that, but sometimes it was good to get his fears over letting them down off his chest.

“Our kids will never be collateral. They will always know our hearts. Neither of us are anything like Jim or your parents – they’re going to be fine.” Sylvie assured him. “I wouldn’t be doing this with you if I didn’t think that were true.”

Matt turned his head and smiled at her, “There isn’t anybody else I would want to be doing this with.” While he knew he was a good dad, he knew that she was a great mom. He loved nothing more than seeing how much their kids adored her. She was the heart and soul of their family. 

Matt held her jaw in his hands as he peppered kisses across her cheeks causing her to smile and laugh before he placed a soft kiss on her lips. He was so grateful to have someone like her by his side, and Violet was right – he was the luckiest man in all of Chicago.


	68. First Loves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Annie wonders what it is about first loves that never really leave you and Matt has some words of wisdom as he's reminded of Hallie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wellll - it's been a minute since we've seen this story!! It's been super fun writing some other Brettsey stuff, but this is a chapter of Family Portraits that I've been meaning to write for a while.
> 
> So it's time to find out what happens with Annie and Robbie.
> 
> There's a couple of things mentioned from previous chapters that you might want to check out as a refresher (not essential though). I've also included chapters that are about Annie and Robbie:
> 
> Chapter 16 - Memories (mentioned in this chapter)  
> Chapter 22 - First Heartbreak (mentioned in this chapter)  
> Chapter 24 - Knowing Your Worth (A&R)  
> Chapter 40 - Prom (A&R)  
> Chapter 63 - Retirement (mentioned in this chapter/A&R)
> 
> I hope you enjoy how this plays out!

**First Loves**

_“I need all available personnel!”_ Leanne announced as an ambulance pulled up at the front doors of the hospital.

“What’s going on?” Tommy Adler asked as he grabbed some gloves and rushed over to Leanne.

“We’ve got two detectives from Jay Halstead’s intelligence unit coming in with gunshot wounds.” Leanne told him. “Emma Adams one to the shoulder and one to the thigh but Robbie Halstead—”

Tommy’s face fell as his mind immediately rushed to Annie. _“Robbie?”_ he asked, seeking definitive clarification. He looked out the door and that confirmed his answer for him – the paramedics were wheeling Robbie through the door.

“Yeah, he took one to the chest. Happened outside the district, they weren’t wearing vests.” Leanne explained. “I’m going to call Annie—”

“Leanne she’s only going to try and get involved with treating him, it’s not a good idea” Tommy reasoned. They may not have been family but they were as good as. Annie and Robbie were – well – _Annie and Robbie_. It didn’t take long for Tommy to realise after Matt’s retirement party that nobody could come between those two. Annie couldn’t be in there with him, not when she would be so upset.

“We can’t keep her in the dark Tommy.” Leanne reasoned and Tommy reluctantly nodded as the front doors flung open and Robbie was rushed in.

The paramedics began rhyming off his stats as Robbie struggled to maintain consciousness. The fact that he was still conscious at _all_ was remarkable.

“Tom – Tommy—” Robbie spluttered out through his clenched teeth. It was clear he was in a lot of pain, but it was also clear that he was holding on for something. “Annie, I need- I need Annie.” He said as Tommy nodded.

“She’s coming Robbie, just hang in here, we got you.” He assured him as they wheeled him into Baghdad. “Leanne get me Dr. Francis from CT down here now!” he requested, knowing that they were going to need a cardiothoracic surgeon to make a quick assessment before they got him up to surgery.

Only a moment later, Annie burst through the doors of the ED. She’d been upstairs with a patient in ICU when Leanne had paged her. As soon as she saw Robbie’s name flash across her phone, her heart _sunk_. This _couldn’t_ be happening, it felt like a dream. It was only a few months ago that her dad had been wheeled in her and now Robbie too?

She sprinted downstairs and was completely out of breath when she got there. When she saw Robbie lying there, a whole rush of emotions flooded through her. Fear, sadness, anger, determination… _regret._ She’d barely spoken to Robbie since their argument before Matt’s retirement party and now she may never get to make that right. She may never get her chance to _be_ with him. What the _hell_ was she doing wasting so much time?

“What’s going on?” she asked quickly as she reached for some gloves that Leanne immediately snatched off her.

“No way, you’re not treating him.”

“Leanne—”

 _“No, Annie._ ” She said sternly and Annie knew to back down. “Go talk to him” she said as she gently pushed her towards Robbie. She wanted them to be able to speak now in case they never had the chance to again.

“Robbie. Hi, hi, I’m here” she said as she grabbed onto his hand, trying to stay out of the way of the doctors and nurses as they assessed him.

“Is Emma ok?” he asked quickly, remembering that his partner went down with him.

“She’s ok” Tommy confirmed quickly.

“Annie, Annie, listen to me” he said as Annie’s eyes flooded with tears and she looked down at Robbie. Seeing him like this was breaking her heart. “I am so sorry about everything. All the times I’ve hurt you or just royally pissed you off – it was stupid and I just – you’re the _best_ best friend I ever could have asked for and I love you so much.”

“Robbie, don’t say anything. Not when you can tell me all of this when they get that bullet out of you.” Annie said. She refused to accept that this could be a goodbye talk. There was no way this was the end for him. No way was this the end for _them._

“Just in case they can’t—”

“Robbie, _stop_ , you’re going to be _fine_.” She repeated as she finally felt the tears roll down her face.

 _“I love you.”_ He repeated firmly and Annie knew that he meant that as more than just as a best friend. The conviction in his voice and the emotion covering his face said it all. “And tell – tell my parents and Mia that I love them too.” he quickly asked, wanting to say it one last time to his parents and sister.

“I will” Annie whispered as she felt her hand slip out of his as the doctors and nurses swarmed him in greater numbers and with greater urgency.

Annie walked backwards, feeling like the life was being sucked out of her. She watched as the ED doctors rushed to stabilise him. She felt so _powerless._ It was the worst feeling to have as a doctor.

The ED doors opened, and Annie watched as Jay, Hailey and Mia rushed in. They looked at Annie, the desperation also evident in their eyes.

“They’re doing everything they can.” Annie managed to mutter out. “He said – he said to tell you that he loves you.”

Hailey nodded and walked forward, engulfing Annie in a hug. Annie couldn’t quite believe that in that moment, she found the strength to comfort Annie rather than seeking comfort for herself. Hailey pulled back, but still kept her hold on Annie.

“I know you’re scared. I’m beyond scared. But Uptons and Halsteads are strong as hell.” Hailey said resolutely. “He’ll be ok.”

Annie nodded her head before watching as they wheeled Robbie out of the room and up to surgery. He was intubated and clearly in a bad way – but Annie had hope. It was all she could have. Leanne ushered the Halsteads out of the ED and into the waiting area as Annie remained frozen. It took her a few seconds, but she lifted out her phone and dialled the number of the only people she wanted by her side right now.

After two rings, the most comforting voice to Annie appeared on the other end.

“Mom?” Annie said down the line in a shaky voice before her tears got the better of her.

“Are you at work?” Sylvie asked quickly.

“Yeah” Annie managed to get out in between sobs.

“We’re on our way.” Sylvie said immediately as she hung up the phone. She had no idea what had upset her daughter so much, but that could wait – she just knew that she needed her parents.

* * *

That evening, Annie sat in the chair by Robbie’s beside. Her legs were curled up under her as she watched him closely while he slept. The surgery had gone well. They managed to remove the bullet and repair any damage it caused. He’d be out of the job for a while, but he was expected to make a full recovery.

Matt and Sylvie had sat with Annie all day while she waited for news on Robbie's surgery. They even hung around when Annie went to sit by Robbie’s bedside. They didn’t want to go just in case she needed them. They’d learned quickly that no matter how old their kids got, a parent’s job was never really done.

By late evening, Sylvie was growing worried that Annie hadn’t eaten all day. She slipped away to pick her daughter up some food, but Matt stayed put. He’d wanted to talk to Annie about something, and he really wasn’t sure if now was the time – but if not now, _when?_

He silently walked into Robbie’s room in the ICU and sat down in the chair beside Annie. She knew from the sound of his steps that it was him, but she didn’t turn to look at her father. She was scared to take her eyes off Robbie for even one moment.

“What is it about first loves that stay with you?” Annie asked quietly. She’d been thinking about it all day. No matter how mad she and Robbie got at each other – they could just never shake each other.

“Are you talking about Austin by Robbie’s bedside? _Brutal_ …” Matt joked as Annie let out an amused scoff at the mention of her first boyfriend.

“ _No_. As much as I loved Austin, I think I loved Robbie long before that.” She confessed. She remembered her heart break over Austin all too well. It was the first time she’d ever really experienced something like that. But right now – the pain she was feeling was a heck of a lot worse. “I mean as much as a pre-teen and teen could understand and comprehend what it means to be in love.” She said with a shrug.

“It’s different as a teenager, but it doesn’t make it any less real.” Matt assured her.

“He gave me a goodbye talk. It was the worst feeling in the world hearing him talk like I was never going to see him again.” Annie said as she felt her tears pool again. She was working through a lot of things in her head, and finally being able to say it out loud was a huge relief.

Matt nodded, instantly being drawn back to a few moments in his life. Saying goodbye to Gabby when he was trapped, saying goodbye to Sylvie when he impaled by the pole – two of the worst things he'd ever had to do. “Yeah, I’ve given a few goodbye talks in my lifetime. It’s never easy – to say or to listen to.” He told her. As difficult as they were, Matt was glad that he had them. He didn’t want to live with regrets – because there was one goodbye speech he never got to have.

“Did I ever tell you about Hallie?” he asked his daughter as she finally turned to look at him. She shook her head. The way her dad gulped after he asked suggested that Hallie was a name she would have remembered hearing about.

“I uh… I don’t really talk about her with anybody. Anybody other than your mom that is” Matt told her. Sylvie was the only person who had ever really been able to break down his walls about Hallie. She never pushed him to talk about her, but over the years, he’d learnt to share all of the amazing things about his first love with his last love. He’d grown to remember the good over the bad all because Sylvie’s spirit encouraged him to do so. It was hard not to look for the good in the world when he was around her.

“She’s hard to talk about” Matt added as Annie turned in her chair to face him, cuddling her knees to her chest.

“Who was she?” Annie asked quietly.

“She was my fiancée.”

Annie’s mouth fell open slightly, the surprise evident in her eyes. She had no idea there was a fiancée before Gabby.

“We met when I was 22” Matt began to explain. “I was a cocky candidate and she was this bright and bold medical student at Northwestern. She was just – she was such a _light_. And she was the voice of reason in my life” he said with a little laugh. “She always made sure my path was straight and that I never lost sight of what was important. I didn’t always get it right or listen to her…” he admitted. The Voight incident all those years ago was a prime example of Matt letting his anger cloud his judgement in some instances. “But she meant the world to me. I loved her very much.”

“What happened?” Annie asked. She could see on her dad’s face that this wasn’t a story with a happy ending. She was almost afraid to ask, but it was evident that there was a reason Matt was telling her this story.

“We broke up because she didn’t want to have kids and it was driving a huge wedge between us. We just couldn’t get on the same page. She needed some time, so she left Chicago. But she came back, and we fell into a rhythm again and all the disagreements about our future just seemed _pointless._ All that mattered in that moment was that we could be together and sort out the rest as it came.” He told her. Annie remained quiet. She wanted to give Matt the space to finish, however long it might take to get the words out. “But uh… she worked at a free clinic downtown and one night someone went in and killed her. They hit her on the back of the head and then they set fire to the place.”

Annie immediately sat forward in her chair, “Dad…” she let out in a whisper of shock.

“It took me a long time to get past it all. It’s still strange over 30 years later. I’ll walk past someone who had the same perfume as her and I’ll just be hit with this overwhelming wave of sadness. Eventually, I realised that I could use that pain for good. It made me a better firefighter.” He explained. He didn’t want Annie to think that this was something that crippled him all these years later.

Annie smiled gently, “The armour you wear in the battle.”

Matt returned her smile, remembering that he had said the same thing to Gallo when he first started out at 51. “Exactly.” He nodded. “Annie I’m not telling you this to freak you out at the possibility of Robbie dying before you get the chance to be together – because he’s going to be fine.” He assured her as Annie turned to look at Robbie while he slept peacefully. “I’m telling you this because I know you think that all the little fights that you and Robbie have gotten into over the years mean you’ll never work… but you also haven’t _tried._ I lost months with Hallie that I should never have lost. I don’t want you to have the same regrets.”

Annie knew that her dad was right. She knew it as soon as she knew Robbie was hurt. She was flooded with regret. Regret over letting her fear get the better of her. Her regret over not talking things through with Robbie instead of shutting him out. It was time she could never get back. It was time she almost _never_ got to have.

“Maybe Robbie is the one.” Matt began again as Annie turned back to look at him. “Or… maybe he’s just a part of an epic journey.” He could certainly relate the second option to his own love life. “Either way – it’s clear how much you love him and how much he loves you. It’s been clear for a _long_ time. So let him in Annie – it might just be the best thing to ever happen to you.”

* * *

A little while later, Matt slipped out of Robbie’s room just as Sylvie walked into the ICU with food in hand. She knew it was a long shot getting Annie to eat something, but she had to try.

“Hey, how’s Robbie?” Sylvie asked as they met each other half way.

“He’s going to be just fine.”

“And Annie?” Sylvie asked as she looked into the room to see for herself how she was fairing.

“She’s going to be just fine too.” Matt said with a smile and a nod filled with certainty.

Sylvie quirked a brow in curiosity. It was evident that Matt knew something she didn’t. What had he said while she was gone? “What did you guys talk about?”

“First loves. She was wondering what it was about them that made them stay with you for years.” Matt explained.

“You tell her about Hallie?” Sylvie asked quietly. If he had, she could only imagine how difficult that was for Matt to do.

Matt nodded, “Yeah, I did. I think it helped.” His own discomfort didn’t matter to him if it meant helping his daughter. From the moment his boys and Annie took their first breaths, he knew he would always fight their battles and take on their burdens no matter the cost.

“Good.” Sylvie simply replied. She knew the details of that conversation should stay between father and daughter.

“I didn’t tell her that she should come to you for the contrasting story of Harrison…” he teased as he nudged her with his elbow.

Sylvie groaned and rolled her eyes; “Oh _god_ …” she said as Matt chuckled. “But it’s a good thing he wasn’t my first love, I wouldn’t have had to talk about him.”

Matt looked at her in surprise, “What? I thought you starting dating in high school.”

“We did, but the summer before we started dating my family and I vacationed in Miami and while I was there, I met a boy. He was so cute and very _blonde_ …” she said with a smirk.

“Oh you have a type then?” Matt said, returning her smirk.

“Maybe… anyway, we hung out all summer and I was _so_ in love with him.” She said with a laugh. “In a total teenage girl kind of way. It was one of the best summers of my life.” She said, the fondness for the boy evident in her voice.

“What happened?”

“Nothing, I had to go back to Fowlerton and we just lost touch. But my _god_ I cried an _outrageous_ amount the whole way home. I was devastated to leave him but the memories I have of that time – it’s like it was yesterday.” She said. For Sylvie, it was a time of innocence and joy and fun. She was glad she had those memories still etched in her brain. Annie was right – first loves have a way of sticking with you without you even realising.

“I can’t believe Sylvie Brett had a summer fling.” Matt teased as he let out a breath. He thought he knew his wife pretty well, but here she was, still surprising him – and he loved it.

Sylvie shrugged “I guess I’m just full of surprises.”

“Even all these years later…” he said as they turned to look back at Annie. Sylvie was about to suggest they go in when they saw Annie jump up from her seat and sit on Robbie’s bed – just as he opened his eyes. Sylvie looked at Matt knowing that the food could wait – Annie needed this moment.

* * *

“Robbie” Annie said quickly as she sat on the side of his bed. “Hey, hey, it’s me. You’re ok.”

“Why do I feel like there’s an elephant sitting on my chest?” he croaked.

“You were shot in the chest.” Annie reminded him. “You should really avoid that, it’s not good for your health.” She joked as Robbie let out a breathy laugh.

“Don’t make me laugh, I’ll pop a stitch...”

They sat in a comfortable silence for a moment before Annie spoke.

“Do you want me to get the doctor?”

“ _No_ ” He said instantly as he grabbed onto her hand to stop her from moving. “I want you to stay right here with me.”

Annie nodded and put her other hand over his to secure their hold. She had no intention of leaving him any time soon.

“I meant what I said before they took me in for surgery” he told her as Annie looked surprised.

“You remember that?” she asked. Considering the state he was in, she was surprised he remember something he said moments before he passed out.

He gave her a lopsided, but weak, smile. “I could never forget telling you that I love you.”

“Robbie I – I was so scared.” She told him in a whisper. She often found it hard being vulnerable, even with the closest people in her life, but it was now or never. “I was scared that you were going to die without me having the chance to tell you that I love you too. That I have loved you for a _long_ time. I’m done messing around Robbie. I’m done pushing you away, I’m done with _you_ making me mad” she said as he let out a breath of amusement. “You have been a constant in my life and you mean the world to me. I know if we finally give us a try – it will be the best decision we ever made. So let's get it right for once.”

“… you are so beautiful.” He replied as Annie smiled widely and blushed. “And my _god_ your _smile_.”

“Stop it...” she jokingly scolded.

“I will never stop flirting with you Annie Casey. That’s a promise.”

 _“Good_.”

Annie moved quickly and kissed him. It wasn’t a take your breath away kiss, but it was the perfect kiss for this moment. It conveyed all they wanted to say in this moment. It wasn’t the first time she had kissed him, but it felt like the first time because it felt like the _right_ time.

As the kiss ended, Annie left her forehead resting against his as he lifted a hand and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Over the years Annie had seen her dad to that countless of times to her mom. It was a sign of love and comfort and affection between them and it was all the proof Annie ever needed to know that her parents were still madly in love.

And she was so glad she felt the same kind of love right now – and she knew she always would.


	69. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt meets a lady at the airport that gives him a beautiful perspective on love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER 70?! Wow lol thank you to everyone still reading and enjoying this - it's been so fun to write.
> 
> This chapter was born out of a love for Brett making Casey smile (and a desire to see more of it)
> 
> Admittedly, it was also born a little out of frustration and a need to write what it is about Brettsey and the potential of Brettsey that so many of us love... so it was a therapeutic one to write lol 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

**Homecoming**

“Nervous flyer?”

Matt’s head shot up as he looked at the lady sitting beside him in the airport lounge. He’d spent the last four days in New York at a fire fighter’s conference and he was eager to get home. The conference had been great and he enjoyed making connections with other firefighters across the country, but he missed his family like crazy. The quiet of the hotel room was unnerving when he was so used to the chaos of his house and the mayhem that his boys caused. They’d just turned three and Matt wished time would stop for just a moment. It seemed like only yesterday they fit in the palm of his hand and now they were growing bigger and bolder with each passing day.

“Sorry?” he asked, wondering what made her suggest he was a nervous flyer.

The older lady smiled gently at him, “You’re jittering your leg up and down.” She said as he looked down at his leg and realised she was right. He hadn’t even noticed. His mind had been elsewhere. “I understand, I’ve been on this Earth over 70 years and I used to be a flight attendant – I was always nervous before every flight. There’s just something a little unsettling about not having your feet on the ground.” She told him kindly. It was clear she was trying to calm him down a little, but it wasn’t necessary.

“I’m an ok flyer. I’m just anxious to get home.” He explained as his face brightened at the thought of what he was going home to. At the thought of her. The reaction was essentially involuntary and he didn’t mind one bit.

 _“Ah._ ” She said with a nod. “You’re going home to someone.” She concluded.

Matt eyed the lady carefully. She was very observant. She managed to read him from just a look on his face. Sylvie’s parents had told him that they knew he was in love by the look in his eyes, so maybe he wasn't that hard to read anyway.

“How can you tell?” he asked, curious as to what her answer would be.

“The look on your face is one in a million.” She replied quietly. His face was so soft and sincere and his eyes were so bright. It was clear she knew what a man in love looked like as she’d experienced it before. “I know a majority of the population are in committed relationships, but only a handful of them look at their partner with even a _fraction_ of the joy on your face. She must be very special – it is a she, right?”

“Yeah, it’s my wife.” Matt confirmed with a smile that the lady returned.

“Forgive me, I’m an old romantic. I don’t think there’s anything sweeter in this world than a love story. How long have you been married?” she asked as she turned slightly, eager to hear about Matt and Sylvie.

“5 years.”

“Ah, it’s still so fresh. Fresh love is the best love… though there is something be said about old love, I’ll tell you that for _free_.” She said as Matt laughed.

“Trust me – I am more than excited to grow old with my wife. She’s got the most beautiful, joyous spirit and no matter what life has thrown at her, she’s never changed. She never _will_ change.” He bragged on Sylvie’s behalf. In all the years he had known her, she’d never lost her enthusiasm for life and she never stopped looking for the good. He wished he could say that about himself, but he considered himself the luckiest man in the world to have that goodness in his life everyday through his wife.

Also, out of the three committed relationships he had been in, Sylvie was the only one he could say with certainty that they would be together for the rest of their lives. With Hallie there was always uncertainty because they wanted different things. For a while after she died, he kept expecting her to keep popping up again, but he knew that could never be true. With Gabby, he wasn’t convinced he’d ever really had her in the first place. Something always set him on edge about their marriage. He felt like they were walking a tightrope and one little wobble would send them crashing down. It was a horrible feeling to live with, but his love for her stopped him from doing anything about it.

Now here he was with Sylvie. He didn’t feel uncertain, he didn’t feel like things would crash down. It felt like he’d finally had the one his soul was meant to find. He felt like all the heartbreak and the lessons learned were preparing him to love her how he was supposed to love her.

“It appears that you’re an old romantic at heart too.” The lady observed at his words. 

Matt let out a short, breathy laugh, “I have my moments”

“How did you two meet?” she asked, desperately wanting to know more about this story.

Matt shifted awkwardly in his seat. Matt completely believed that when you meet the right person, all the rules about whether you should or shouldn’t be together should go out the window. In his case, who knows where either he or Sylvie might be if they had let the past stop them. He also knew that not everybody would feel the same way they did about relationships – no matter how happy a couple maybe be. He knew some people probably thought what they did was totally against some sort of made-up relationship rules. He didn’t care – but he also wasn’t in the mood to be judged by this lady.

“Uh… we worked together. Still do. I’m a firefighter and she’s a paramedic.” He explained vaguely.

The lady narrowed her eyes, “Why do I have a feeling that’s not the whole story?”

Matt quirked a brow, “Has anybody ever told you you’re very perceptive?” he asked.

The lady chuckled, “Only a few times.”

Matt nodded and paused for a second. This lady would know fine rightly if he withheld the truth. And truthfully – what was he trying to hide? He wasn’t ashamed of loving his wife. If anybody else had a problem with it, that was their issue, not his.

“I knew my wife for around 6 years before we got together. I was married before… to her former partner on ambo. They were best friends.” Matt told her.

“I take it you didn’t want to tell me that because you think it’s a little messy?” she asked.

Matt shrugged, “People hear that and can’t look past it. They can’t see that my first wife wasn’t the one for me. They can’t look past the fact that we were broken up for two years before anything happened. My ex moved to Puerto Rico, she wasn’t in our lives.”

“You don’t have to justify a _thing_ to me” the lady said as she waved her hand in front of her. “All I care about is that look on your face. It tells me all I need to know about whether you were right to welcome this love into your life. Sometimes unusual circumstances are beyond people’s understanding – until it happens to them of course.” She said with a playful roll eye. It was clear she had some issues with unnecessarily judgemental people in her life. “You want to hear a messy love story?”

Matt sat up straighter and nodded his head as the lady leaned in further. “I dated a guy back in college, Bert. He was so ambitious, a real go getter and I just loved that about him. He taught me to be ambitious and he brought a lot of _fire_ into my life.” She told him with a fond smile on her face. “But there was always this distance between us. He was so independent and there was a part of him that no matter how hard I tried, I could never know.” She said as the smile faded a little. “But then there was his brother, Henry. Henry had been one of my best friends since high school. He was such a light and he always made me laugh. I could rely on him for anything and his passion for life was just _beautiful_.”

“What happened?” Matt asked quietly. This whole story sounded eerily familiar...

“Bert decided that he wanted to travel the world with his company and I didn’t want to do that. I wanted roots and a family and a home alongside my career. Bert wasn’t willing to compromise – in all honesty neither was I. So, he left. He went travelling and I stayed.”

“What about Henry?”

The lady beamed, “Henry was as reliable as he’d always been. He kept making me laugh, he kept bringing light into my life – we were married for 45 years.”

Matt’s eyes widened in surprise. This lady definitely took the crown for messy relationships. Dating brothers seemed crazy – but she looked so happy talking about Henry. All the mess seemed totally insignificant in that moment.

“Dating brothers is messy, marrying one of them is even messier.” The lady said. “You marrying someone who you love, admire and respect – that’s not a crime. That’s a _gift_. Especially when you know in your heart that your love for her will never change.”

The lady reached into her bag and lifted out a small book. She opened it to reveal that it was full of pictures. Pictures from her youth right through to now.

“I’ve carried this little book around with me for as long as I can remember. Sometimes you just need to look at the people you love when you can't be with them - it instantly lifts your spirits.” She explained as she opened it to a particular photo. She handed it to Matt. “That’s Henry and our three kids, all grown up of course. Lights of my life. Henry passed away last year, but having a piece of him in them is just wonderful.”

Matt grinned and nodded, “I have two boys and they are _crazy_. Seriously I don’t know where they get their energy from – but there is a light in their eyes that could only come from their mother. They make me want to have as many babies as I can with my wife, they’re that great. The exhaustion would be entirely worth it."

“I’m sure you can’t wait to get home to hold them too.” She told them.

“Yeah” Matt replied quietly as he continued to look down at the photo. Their kids were grown in this photo, and Matt was taken back to his comment earlier about growing old with Sylvie. He wanted to have a moment exactly like this. He wanted to grow old with his family surrounding him. It was the only thing any firefighter could want. “I’m sorry about the loss of your husband.”

“Thank you.” She replied as Matt handed back the album. Suddenly, a voice appeared around them calling for all people flying to Austin, Texas. “Oh, that’s me” she said as Matt immediately helped her to her feet. “It’s safe to say you’ve made my day telling me your love story. You better go home and hug that family of yours tighter than you ever have before.”

Matt nodded, “I plan on it. I’m Matt by the way. Matt Casey” he said, realising that he’d never even introduced himself.

“It’s very nice to meet you Matt Casey. I’m Sylvie.”

Matt’s face softened in total surprise. _Of course_ _she was called Sylvie_. What a beautiful coincidence. Matt watched until Sylvie had started walking down the tunnel towards her plane. This wasn’t an encounter he expected to have today, but he was so glad that he had.

* * *

Matt arrived home late that evening. He knew that the boys would already be in bed so he sneaked quietly into their apartment, not wanting to wake them up. As much as he would like to wake them and disrupt their sleep, he could cuddle with them on the sofa all day tomorrow over a Blackhawks game.

He set his bags by the door and took his jacket off before following the light into the kitchen. He soon found Sylvie standing at the counter, digging into a tub of ice cream. He stood back and watched her for a moment. There was no better feeling than coming home to her. Her presence brought him such peace.

He couldn’t hold back any longer and decided to make himself known. He walked towards her just as she realised he was there, her head turning and her face lighting up.

“How long were you watching me for?” she teasingly asked as she narrowed her eyes.

“Not long enough” he replied as he wrapped his arms around her from behind and held her tightly, burying his head in her neck and kissing up it. “I missed you” he whispered as he lifted his head to rest beside her ear.

“You know this is the longest we’ve spent apart in the 7 years we’ve been together?” she reminded him.

“Damn… I must really like you.” He teased as Sylvie nudged him lightly in the stomach.

“After all this time I’d like to think you did, yeah.” She said with a laugh as she turned her attention back to her ice cream. “Just getting myself a little late-night snack. You interested?” She asked as she held up another spoon.

“Absolutely.” He agreed as he kissed her cheek one more time before they moved around the kitchen and sat at the island.

“How was your flight?” she asked as they both dug into the tub.

“It was fine. The airport was interesting though” he told her as she turned on her stool to face him.

“How come?”

“I met a lady in the lounge. Mid-seventies, a former flight attendant.” He began explaining. “She spoke to me because she thought I was a nervous flyer.”

Sylvie frowned “You’re not a nervous flyer.”

“I know, I was just a little jittery because I was anxious to get home to you” he explained with a smile he couldn’t contain. How _could_ he contain it? He hadn’t seen her in four days and now all he wanted to do was smile. Not to mention the fact that _her_ smile was infectious.

“Well you can be assured – I haven’t been myself without you either.” She replied as she rested one of her hands in his. “I haven’t been the best company at the firehouse” she said with a regretful grimace. Of course she was in the zone on calls, nothing would ever change that. But admittedly – she was walking around the firehouse like a bit of a lost puppy. There was something so strange about being there without Matt.

“Now you know how I felt when you were on maternity leave" He told her as she nodded with wide eyes. "We need to make a deal – no more nights apart for a little while.” He suggested.

 _“Deal”_ Sylvie said with a wink. “Did you and this lady talk about anything else?”

“Yeah. We talked about you.”

Sylvie quirked a brow, “All good things I hope.”

“Only the best. She knew from the look on my face alone that you were incredibly special.” He told her softly. “She was married for 45 years...to her ex-boyfriend’s brother.”

 _“Oof_ ” Sylvie said with a grimace. “Sounds a little messy”

Matt shook his head, “No, not really. They were ridiculously in love and they made each other immensely happy. That was all that mattered.”

Sylvie gave him a knowing nod. It was clear that this lady's story had really resonated with him and she understood why. From the moment they admitted their feelings, they knew that this kind of love and happiness was rare and there was no reason on _Earth_ for them to let it slip by them.

“We also got talking about the boys” Matt said as he took another spoonful of ice cream and eyed her like he had an idea.

“Oh yeah? What about them?” Sylvie asked, wondering where this was going.

“Oh just that they were really great and I would have as many babies as I could with my wife.” He said as he set his spoon down and raised an eyebrow.

Sylvie’s mouth fell open slightly as she eyed him curiously. Was he really suggesting what she thought he was suggesting? Was he really testing the waters about having another baby? Her heart fluttered a little at the prospect. She loved her boys with all her heart and her heart certainly had room for another little Casey.

“Well…” Sylvie began as she also set her spoon down. “I’d always said that if I were to ever have kids, I’d want to have three.” She said.

“Three huh? That’s a good number.” He continued to tease.

Sylvie nodded, “I agree…”

Matt lifted his hand and pushed some of hair affectionately behind her ear. His ran his thumb over her cheek bone. “So what do you say? You want to have another blonde haired, blue eyed, furrowed brow baby?” he asked, remembering her words to him the first time she told him she wanted to start their family.

_“I don’t know what it is, but I just feel like this is our time. I want to have lots of blonde haired, blue eyed, furrowed browed babies and I want to start now.”_

“I say yes. A thousand times yes.” Sylvie replied without missing a beat. Her heart felt like it was going to burst at the thought of welcoming a new love into their lives.

Matt’s grin was the widest it had been all day. The closer he got to being home to her, the bigger it had gotten and now it took over his whole face in a moment of complete and utter joy.

“I guess we better get started” he said as he stood up and scooped her off the stool and began carrying her down the hall causing her to squeal lightly and laugh.

They barely slept that night. Between talking and laughing and more intimate activities, they hadn’t _wanted_ to sleep. They wanted to take in every moment they could together.

9 months later, Annie Evelyn Casey came storming into the world at Firehouse 51. Their family felt complete and it was the greatest love either of them had ever known.


	70. Family Shows Up 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brett and Casey deal with the challenge of having two newborns.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, this is a little rewrite of an earlier chapter 'Family Shows Up'. I just wanted to do a little more with it, so I hope you enjoy some of the changes I've made!

** Family Shows Up **

Sylvie and Matt lay on their sides staring down at their babies that lay between them. They were fast asleep, but watching them sleep was one of their favourite things to do. The way their faces and limbs moved in tune with whatever they were dreaming about was just way too cute. Jack and Elliot had spent a few days in the hospital before they were allowed home. They were doing really well and at almost two months old, they were thriving.

Jack was a little more curious than Elliot. He was fascinated by his surroundings and Sylvie and Matt loved to see his eyes light up when he saw something new. He was also starting to wave his limbs around like crazy – diaper duty was certainly a task.

Elliot on the other hand was a lot calmer. He was content sitting in his baby chair or staring at a mobile above his head. He was also _obsessed_ with just staring at Sylvie and listening to her talk to him. It was clear he already loved his mom more than anything.

But the thing that Matt and Sylvie loved most about their boys was something they shared – their toothless grins. Matt had told Sylvie before that her happiness and bright smile were infectious – and now he had proof. Their boys were _huge_ smilers, especially when they saw one of their parents after some time apart. Matt had never smiled more in his life too, but he couldn’t help it. Even when he was at work just thinking about their smiles sent him into a beaming daze.

“Look at their little noses” Sylvie said as she ran her index finger down Elliot’s button nose.

“And their hands in little fists like that...” Matt added as he held Jack’s little hand between his thumb and index finger, comfortingly rubbing it.

“Have you noticed how blue their eyes are?” Sylvie asked as she continued to stare at them. “Though Elliot definitely has a freckle of green in his, I think that will develop over time.” She observed. Sometimes, she couldn’t quite believe that they made these two little humans.

Matt smiled at his wife. It was safe to say they were pretty obsessed with their babies – and understandably so. They were ridiculously cute how could they _not_ be captivated by them? They introduced them to a whole new level of love they didn’t realise existed. They hoped this moment of newborn bliss wouldn’t go by too quickly. Right now, Jack and Elliot weren’t giving their parents much trouble. They slept when they were supposed to sleep, they ate when they were supposed to eat, and their cries weren’t difficult to sooth. It almost seemed too good to be true.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the front door as they heard it open and Stella’s voice whisper shouted through the house.

“Hello? Auntie Stella and Uncle Severide are here!” she announced as Matt chuckled and got off the bed to go and greet them. He made his way downstairs and found their best friends standing in the living room, shopping bags in hand.

“What’s up?” he asked as he eyed them – and their bags – curiously.

“Well” Stella began excitedly as she set the bags down on the sofa “We were doing a spot of shopping and we walked past this baby store and I saw the _cutest_ little onesies in the window that I just _had_ to buy for my favourite babies in the _entire_ world.” She said as she started to walk towards the stairs “Speaking of which, Auntie Stella needs a cuddle.” she announced as she marched upstairs leaving Matt and Severide in a moment of silence.

“She’s going to spoil those babies rotten” Severide warned him with a chuckle.

Matt looked at him and raised his brows, “Could be your babies one day.”

Severide went a little pale at the comment as Matt chuckled and moved into the kitchen to get his friend a clearly needed beer.

Meanwhile, Stella poked her head around the bedroom door to find Sylvie lying beside Jack and Elliot.

“How are my favourite little boys?” Stella asked as Elliot started to stir from his sleep. Stella delicately sat down on the bed and scooped Elliot into her arms as he woke up with a gentle yawn and a little stretch before snuggling back into Stella’s hold. “Aww…” Stella cooed. “Have you ever seen a cuter baby in your life? Seriously, how is this possible?”

“I know I’m totally bias but… it’s true. They are the definition of perfect.” Sylvie bragged.

“They’re perfect because the majority of your pregnancy was rough. Two perfect babies is your reward for being a _trooper_.” Stella insisted. _Nobody_ would be forgetting the mood Sylvie was in in the final weeks of her pregnancy. “How are you feeling anyway?” she knew Sylvie would be handling this like a pro, but it didn’t make it any less difficult. Parenthood was hard work and Stella knew it was important to check in on her friend as much as it was to gush over her babies.

“I’m good, a little tired but we’re getting there.” Sylvie said with a nod of confidence. It was a lot to adjust to but they were handling it like pros. “Matt has been so great. He comes home from shift and tells me to go to bed. He tidies up around the house, he gets up with the boys every time they cry in the night and he’s the first to get them up in the morning—”

“Brett, the man has wanted to be a father since forever, of course he’s going to dive right into it. Some people _might_ even say he loves you and his sons…” she teased as Sylvie playfully rolled her eyes. “And he’s also been bragging about you at the station. Always talking about how lucky your boys are to have you – him included.”

Sylvie smiled gently as she felt herself blush a little. “Well we’re lucky to have him too” she insisted as she gently tickled Jack’s belly as he took his turn to wake up.

A few moments later, Jack’s face scrunched up signalling that he was about to cry. Sylvie quickly scooped him up to sooth him, but she wasn’t quick enough. His cries filled the room as she stood and gently rocked him. She quickly smelt his diaper, but it was clean so she assumed he must be hungry.

“Come on, let’s get these boys fed” Sylvie said as she and Stella went downstairs with the boys. They found Matt and Severide watching a Blackhawks game, but Matt was immediately distracted by the sound of his son’s cries. He jumped up from the sofa and went into the kitchen to get their bottles sorted.

Severide watched from the sofa at the seamless way Matt and Sylvie settled their babies – and how much Stella was soaking it all up too. The thought of being a dad filled him with slight anxiety, but seeing Stella so naturally help to feed Elliot made his heart flutter a little. Maybe this wasn’t something that was as out of his reach as he thought.

“This is like something out of a Hallmark movie…” Severide said, poking fun at the perfectness of Matt and Sylvie’s baby bubble.

“Watch it…” Matt warned as he threw a tea towel at his friend who expertly caught it.

They could only hope that their blissful state would last a little while longer.

* * *

“This is Severide’s fault.” Sylvie grumbled as she closed her eyes and slowly rubbed her temples, her elbows digging into her thighs, holding her head up. Her 2 month old son's cries filled the house and her resilience in dealing it was breaking. “He made a comment about our lives being picture perfect and he jinxed us.” She dramatized to herself.

"You know – we get babies left at the firehouse occasionally." She heard her husband say as he walked into their bedroom, desperately trying to sooth Jack to sleep. "We make sure they're in good hands, I'm sure someone would take him, he's very cute" he joked. It was the only thing he could do right now to ensure they didn't lose their minds. It appeared that the honeymoon period with their babies was over. It had been a week since Stella and Severide’s visit and since then, something had clicked in the boys. They discovered the power of their lungs and it was like they were testing them out to see how loud they could scream.

Sylvie stood from the bed and walked towards Matt and Jack. "The fact that he's so cute is what makes me want to keep him…" she joked back as she ran her hand over her baby's fair hair. She briefly looked up at the clock on the wall and moaned. "How is it only 9pm? It feels so much later."

"It feels later because we've been at this for almost 3 _hours."_ Matt grumbled as he shifted Jack in his arms so he was now resting against his shoulder. "As soon as we get one of them down…"

"The other starts wailing I know…" Sylvie said with a sigh. Elliot had been the first to fall asleep and then eventually Jack went down, but after 5 whole minutes of silence, Elliot started crying and the cycle had repeated itself 3 times now. "They're stronger than us Matt. They're going to break us."

"We can't think like that… we're resilient. We've battled through fires and everything in between, we can handle two babies." He said confidently.

Sylvie quirked an eyebrow, "You went out for milk this morning Matt… and returned 2 hours later because you fell asleep in the car. You're weak. _I_ am weak."

"We are not weak." Matt insisted. He looked down at Jack and sighed. "He must be hungry – my nipples are of no use to him" he said as he held Jack out to Sylvie and she took him. She walked towards the door to go and feed him downstairs, but before she left she turned back and glared at Matt.

"If I come back here and find you asleep – we're going to have a problem." Sylvie warned as Matt gulped. If she was going to suffer through sleepless nights, so was he. They were in this together.

"Yes ma'am…"

"Shut up…"

Once Sylvie had left the room, Matt decided that it wouldn't do anybody any harm if he just lay down for 5 minutes. Honestly, he needed to be on his best form to deal with two screaming babies throughout the night. He lay down and closed his eyes. He knew babies were supposed to cry, but were they really supposed to cry this much? He managed to lie in silence for around 30 seconds before Elliot's screams filled the house

Matt groaned and got up, walking into his son's room. He looked down at Elliot and gave him a tight-lipped smile, "How can two babies hate sleep so much? It's all you're supposed to want to do" he cooed down at him as Elliot's tears started to subside once he saw his father's face peering down at him.

Matt was suddenly struck with an idea. "Sylvie?" He called as he heard her delicate footsteps come up the stairs and into the room.

"Yeah?"

"I have an idea" he said. "Get the boys dressed"

"You're not seriously wanting to take them out right now are you?" Sylvie questioned.

"People love babies. Better yet, they love babies that they can give back to the parents once they've had a cuddle. They're freakin adorable and our babies are _extra_ freakin adorable." Matt reasoned as he lifted Elliot up and took him over to the changing table to change his diaper and put him in a fresh onesie.

"I mean – you're absolutely right, but what does that have to do with getting them to sleep?" Sylvie asked as she too changed Jack into a fresh onesie.

"Elliot and Jack's problem is that they hate being put down. They're attention hoggers, it's a classic baby trait. We need to find some people to give them the attention they crave – then they'll fall straight to sleep." Matt theorised.

Sylvie quirked an eyebrow. He was maybe on to something. "You know some people?"

Matt smirked, "I think I might."

* * *

_"Oh my god. You two did not bring your babies to a bar."_

Sylvie and Matt gave Stella tight-lipped smiles as they walked into Molly's, each with a baby strapped to their chest.

"I mean, no judgement here Captain, I’m always glad to see these two” Stella quickly added on.

"Did you really miss us that much?" Mouch asked as he patted Matt on the shoulder teasingly.

"Oh we just thought that you guys might like to see these two sleeping angels." Sylvie told them – but their babies were far from asleep. They cried the whole way here and were only quiet because they were in a new place with new people. Thankfully, Molly’s was fairly quiet tonight. There were a few regulars and the majority of 51, but that was it.

"Oo, please, give him to me!" Mackey said as she lightly clapped her hands and rushed over to Sylvie, who gladly lifted Elliot out of his strap and handed him to Mackey. “I used to babysit a lot in high school for my cousins, my family used to call me the baby whisperer.” She said before she walked over to the squad boys with Elliot. A baby whisperer was exactly what Sylvie need right now. As soon as Mackey walked away, she made her way to a table at the back of the room, sat down and lay her head on it.

Severide smirked, seeing straight through Matt and Sylvie's reasoning for being here. They clearly just wanted 10 minutes of peace. He'd never seen two people so enamoured by their babies before, but the reality of parenting was hitting them hard. He stood from the bar stool and took Jack from Casey. He wasn’t entirely comfortable with babies, but when he held one they tended to be quite fond of him.

"I think Jack needs to spend some quality time with his Uncle Sev" Severide announced as Jack rested comfortably in Severide’s arms.

"Don't corrupt him." Matt warned.

Severide shrugged, "It's just guy stuff, don't worry about it…" he teased as Matt went to sit opposite Sylvie, resting his head on the table beside hers.

Stella looked over Severide's shoulder at Jack as he slept peacefully in his arms, "Family shows up for family huh?" Stella asked.

"Oh yeah" Severide said with a little laugh. "Something tells me we'll always show up for our two littlest members."

Jack had stopped squirming and his eyes finally started to droop. It appeared he’d tired himself out from all of his crying – and maybe Severide was a bit of a baby whisperer too.

“You better watch out, Brett and Casey might try to hire you as their nanny if you keep this up.” Stella joked. “I think they need a baby whisperer more than squad needs a lieutenant right now.”

Severide grinned as he looked up at his friends. Their eyes were closed, their heads were on the table and Matt had his hand resting on top of Sylvie’s. “If they can run into burning buildings and restart hearts then I think they’re going to be just fine as parents. If anyone can do this, it’s Brett and Casey.”

Stella nodded her head in agreement as she was struck with an idea. “Absolutely – but like you said, family shows up, right?”

“Right…” Severide said, wondering where this was going.

“What are you doing tomorrow morning?”

* * *

The following morning, Sylvie woke up and took a moment to gather her surroundings. She soon remembered that they ended up taking their boys to Molly’s last night – she considered that move to be a particularly low moment in their parenting journey, but she also didn't have any regrets about it. Their babies were put to sleep and they also got to put their heads down for a little while.

Her eyes then suddenly widened – their room was silent, there was no noise over the baby monitor, they hadn’t been awoken by screaming infants... what was _happening?_

“ _Matt. Matt wake up_ ” she said quickly as she shot upright, slightly alarmed that after a week of deafening screams their house was silent. 

“What?” he mumbled into his pillow. Matt _really_ wasn’t a first thing in the morning person. He needed at least an hour before he could communicate properly.

 _“The boys_.” She simply said as Matt reluctantly sat up beside her, slouching over and rubbing his eyes.

“What about them?” he asked, not catching on to Sylvie's concern.

“They’re not crying… and _we’re_ sleeping.” She said as Matt paused for a moment before he sat up straighter, finally realising what she was getting at. They looked at each other briefly before scrambling out of bed. Sylvie managed to bang her knee off the beside cabinet on the way out and Matt managed to poke himself in the eye as he pulled a t-shirt over his head as the both muffled curses under their breaths.

They ran downstairs heard some rustling coming from the kitchen. The dashed down the hallway and froze at the scene in front of them.

Stella was standing by the stove cooking bacon and pancakes.

 _“Surprise!”_ she announced happily when she spotted them.

“Hi… what’s goin' on?” Sylvie asked in a semi asleep and confused state. “Where are the boys?”

Stella nodded into the living area and Sylvie and Matt quickly turned their heads to see Severide lying on the floor beside Jack and Elliot as they lay in their baby bouncers, staring right at their uncle. It appeared that he was their new obsession and Severide was taking to them pretty quickly too.

“We know that you two are _killing_ this parenting thing, but we also know that there are a hell of a lot of people who want to help you out every now and again – _especially_ us. We’re family and these are the best pancakes you are _ever_ going to have.” Stella insisted proudly as she turned the bacon in the pan.

Sylvie turned to Matt and shrugged lightly, “I suppose that extra hour in bed was pretty nice…”

Matt nodded, “Agreed..."

“Amazing! Go sit at the table, this is ready” Stella insisted as they dutifully agreed.

It was safe to say that they had pretty amazing people in their lives and knowing that their boys were so loved was something they would be eternally grateful for.


	71. Quiet in the Chaos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brett and Casey try to find some alone time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is set over three time periods - just married, when the kids are little and when the kids are teenagers (the last one only being *loosely* based on how I can be with my siblings sometimes lol...)
> 
> I'm not overly happy with it so I might come back to it - but I wanted to post it anyway. I hope you enjoy!

**Quiet in the Chaos**

Brett was determined.

It had been a _long_ week and she just wanted this shift to be over. Work had been hectic. It appeared everybody in Chicago was in crisis mode. On top of that, Sylvie and Matt were in the middle of flipping their home and making into the perfect space for them – and any potential little Caseys that might come along. It was taking up a lot of time and adding a lot of stress to their lives, but they knew the end result would be worth it.

The thing that bothered them the most about the chaos of the week was that they barely had any time for each other. One of them was normally up and out the door before the other had woken up and the 30 second phone calls they had in the middle of the day weren’t quite enough.

That was exactly why Brett was determined right now. It was nearing dinner time at the fire station and she had just gotten back from her 9th call of the day. Every single time she went to just sit in Matt’s quarters with him was interrupted by the bells.

But not this time. She’d said a prayer and the bells were _not_ going off again. _No way_.

She stormed through the firehouse and towards the bunk room, meeting Matt on his way out the door.

“You got a minute?” she asked as she approached him.

“I have a meeting with Boden, I—” he began saying, the regret written all over his face. But Sylvie wasn’t really looking for him to answer. His meeting with Boden could wait for five minutes. She grabbed his arm and pulled him back in the direction he came.

They arrived in his quarters and Sylvie closed the door. As soon as the door clicked in place, she gently pushed Matt against it, her hands then framed his face as she pulled him in for a searing kiss.

Matt only took a millisecond to respond. He deepened the kiss as her hands moved down his shoulders, allowing him to take control and hold her neck in his hands, guiding their rushed movements. He turned them around so she was against the door. The heat between them was rising. Their breaths became more ragged and were practically echoing in the room. 

Matt pulled away from the kiss only slightly, their lips still brushing, “Did you miss me that much?” he asked as he swooped in and kissed her again.

Sylvie smiled against his lips, “We’ve been married for 3 months, we’re still in the honeymoon phase – sneaking into your office for a quickie is part of the fun – it’s also a _great_ stress reliever.” She insisted.

Matt pulled back fully now and frowned at her, “You’re stressed?” he asked, the concern evident on his face.

Sylvie’s mouth fell open slightly, “I suggest a quickie and you ask about my stress? You are too good for this world Matt Casey.” She said with a giggle as she gently ran her thumb over his now swollen lips.

Matt grinned. He delicately moved a piece of hair out of her face and rested a hand behind her on the door.

“I am all for a quickie, _trust me._ ” He insisted. “But I want to make sure you’re ok first.”

Sylvie looked at him with a deeply loving gaze. The way he cared for her still made her feel giddy inside – and she had a feeling it always would.

“I’m ok. I just – I miss you.” She said with a sigh. “We’ve been so busy the past few weeks I feel like we barely have any time for each other. Not even 5 minutes – I wanted to steal some time while I could.”

Matt nodded in understanding. Sometimes, 5 minute moments were all they needed to remind them that the stresses in their lives were insignificant in comparison to the love in their lives. He just wished they had _more_ of those moments.

“Tomorrow morning, we are going to go home and we are going to order take out for breakfast, lunch and dinner…” he said as he kissed one side of her neck, “then we’re going to take a long, hot bath…” he said, moving to the other side of her neck and grinning against her skin before kissing it. The feel of his smile was enough to make her heart beat that little bit faster and the hairs on the back of her neck to stand up. “And then I’ll even sit through a House Hunters marathon.” He said, placing a chaste kiss on her lips.

“Don’t even pretend that you don’t love House Hunters” she teased as she poked him lightly in the stomach.

“I love it because you love it.” He justified, but they both knew that he had truly grown to appreciate the show all on his own…

Sylvie giggled and nodded her head, “If that’s your story… but that sounds amazing.”

“I’m glad you think so” he replied in an almost whisper before capturing her lips in a more searing kiss. Sylvie’s hands worked to quickly untuck his Captain’s polo, her hands roaming freely up his back. Matt turned her around and started walking her towards the bunk, not daring to break their kiss.

_“Hey, Casey”_ they heard Severide say through the door, followed by a knock. “ _Chief’s looking for you. Tell Brett to exhibit some self-control and let you go.”_

Sylvie groaned, “Ugh, not possible, I have no self-control” she said as she kissed down his jaw and his neck.

Matt chuckled, “Don’t I know it… but – to be continued” he said as Sylvie reluctantly pulled back with a sigh.

“What’s a girl got to do to get some around here?” she joked.

“This girl can get some in half an hour—”

_Ambulance 61. Person in distress…_

“We’re _luckless_.” Sylvie mumbled as she left the room, almost bumping straight into Severide who was standing there with a grin on her face. Sylvie playfully glared at him before running on.

Severide turned to Matt who was quickly trying to tuck his shirt in and gather the paperwork he needed to take to Boden.

“Still in that honeymoon phase, huh?” Severide asked.

Matt smirked. “Oh yeah.”

* * *

“Hey, sorry I’m late” Matt said as he jogged over to his wife at the side of the pitch. Annie had a soccer match this afternoon and she made her dad promise he wouldn’t miss it for a construction job. Unfortunately for Matt, his clients were real talkers and he struggled to get away on time.

“No, you’re good, they just started” Sylvie insisted.

Matt looked out onto the pitch and saw Annie standing, poised and ready to go. The coach had told her she was a natural born defender and Annie took that very seriously. She was always ready to get rough and ready when she needed to. It was the Casey-Brett blood in her – they always looked out for their own, even in something as trivial as a 4-year old’s soccer match.

Annie saw her dad in her peripheral vision and her head snapped round and she excitedly waved at him.

“Hi dad!” she exclaimed.

Matt chuckled and waved back, “Hi baby” he replied just as enthusiastically. He then turned to speak to his wife and noticed for the first time that she was wearing his CFD cap. He smirked at her.

“You pull that cap off _much_ better than I ever could” he complimented.

Sylvie narrowed her eyes thoughtfully, “I don’t know… Cap Chief Casey is my second favourite firefighter look of yours.”

Matt quirked a brow, “What’s number one?”

“Your dress uniform.” She said in a jokingly serious manner.

_“Ah.”_

“It’s a _real_ look…” she teased.

“Well we get to put those suits on for Kidd’s promotion ceremony on Wednesday.” Matt reminded her.

Stella had finally made truck lieutenant after years of hard work and dedication to the CFD. Matt was thrilled that someone as bold and talented as Stella was taking his spot. It had been filled by cocky glory hogs since Matt made Chief a year ago and that just wasn’t 51’s style. But now, it was under secure command again.

“We do” Sylvie said with a nod.

Matt stepped closer towards her and lowered his tone so no one else could hear him, his hand delicately circling his wife’s waist. “And as much as I like seeing you in your dress uniform, I _really_ like seeing you _out_ of it—”

“ _Casey_!” Sylvie exclaimed as her head shot round and the back of her hand collided with his stomach in shock. She tried to hold back a smirk as she scolded him, but there was no shame over Matt’s face. He was _more_ than ok with teasing his wife in public every now and again. “There are kids running right in front of you…” she reminded him.

“Oh, you want to talk about inappropriate?” he questioned as Sylvie went to defend herself, but he beat her to the punch. “Then let’s talk about that text message you sent me during my meeting yesterday with the deputy commissioner.”

Sylvie grinned mischievously, “I thought you might like that one.” She wasn’t a stranger to a dirty comment either.

Matt looked back out onto the pitch, “Well, it did remind me that we are in desperate need of some alone time— HEY!” he suddenly shouted causing Sylvie to jump slightly. Someone had taken Annie out and she fell flat on her face in the dirt. Who knew four-year olds could be so _vicious?_ “Ref! That was clearly a foul!” Matt shouted.

“Behind the line pal!” The referee shouted as Matt clenched his jaw and took a step back, gaining some dirty looks from the parents of the opposite team. Matt rolled his eyes – as _if_ they wouldn’t jump to defend their kid either…

Sylvie giggled as she looped her hand around Matt’s arm, “She’s fine honey, look at her.” She said with a nod. Annie was running around like nothing had happened. If anything, she had an even fiercer determination to win.

“Yeah she’s killing it out there, she always does.” Matt said proudly. “But seriously – Wednesday after the ceremony we’re having a date night. I’ll get a babysitter.”

Sylvie nodded, “Ok, you’re on.”

* * *

_“Mom, it hurts so bad!”_

Annie’s screams filled the house that Wednesday evening as Sylvie tried to desperately sooth her distressed daughter. Annie’s team won their soccer game on Saturday, but someone managed to tip Annie up again – this time causing her to break her wrist when she hit the ground.

It took a lot for Matt to keep is cool in that moment. He hated seeing his kids in pain and Annie’s tears were overwhelming. They took her to Med and the x-ray revealed the break, resulting in a cast being put on. Annie _hated_ it. Her arm was itchy and sore, and it was flaring up a lot tonight. Matt and Sylvie thought that it was just their luck that it would happen the night they were supposed to go on their date.

“I know honey, I’m getting you something for the pain now but you need to take some deep breaths to control your tears, you’re just going to agitate yourself and your arm more.” Sylvie said calmly as she lifted Annie up and set her on the kitchen island before moving to the medicine box to grab what she needed.

_“Elliot give it back!”_

Sylvie closed her eyes and let out a breath as the sound of her boys running into the kitchen got closer and closer.

_“Leave me alone Jack!”_

_“I had it first!”_

Sylvie turned around and watched as Elliot sprinted into the kitchen with Jack close on his tail – and Sunday not far behind either. She loved it when the boys ran wild, the Dalmatian took it as her opportunity to do the same. She watched as Jack reached out to grab Elliot and before she could tell them to stop, a switch flicked in Jack’s brain and he decided to _shove_ Elliot instead.

Sylvie watched as if the whole thing was playing out in slow motion. Jack shoved and Elliot tripped on his own feet, falling to the floor and banging his nose off the kitchen tiles.

“Jack!” Sylvie exclaimed as Jack’s eyes widened, realising that he had seriously messed up.

“Oh no…” he mumbled with a gulp as he turned to look at his mom whose fury was written all over her face. “I didn’t mean to, I’m sorry!” he immediately apologised. “I just wanted the tablet back!” he reasoned as Sylvie looked and saw that their electronic tablet was now lying smashed beside Elliot. She quickly rushed over to her son and turned him around to see the blood pouring out of his nose.

“Ok, you’re ok” she soothed as she got him to his feet and over to the kitchen table.

“Mom, my arm!” Annie continued to complain. Her brother’s bleeding nose was the least of her worries right now.

“I know honey, Jack can you go get your dad please?” she asked as calmly as she could. Where the hell was Matt anyway? _Surely_ he heard the chaos from downstairs?

Jack sprinted out of the room as Sylvie bent down to take a closer look at Elliot’s nose. “Ok, I don’t think it’s broken, just a little bit of bleeding. How do you feel?”

Elliot gulped as the tears welled in his eyes, “Sore” he replied.

Sylvie gave him a sympathetic smile as she ran her hand over his fair hair, “I know sweetie and you might be sore for a few days but you’re ok, I promise.” She insisted as she got him some gauze from the box to wipe the blood and control what was still flooding out.

_“Wow”_ she heard Matt say as he came into the room. “What’s going on?”

“Did you _seriously_ not hear all the screaming from down here or where your choosing to ignore it?” Sylvie snapped.

“I was in the bathroom.” Matt justified as he moved over to Annie and got her some pain relief before wrapping her arm in a sling. He knew it was best to keep it elevated and it might provide his daughter with some respite. 

Sylvie sighed and ran her hand over her forehead, “We can’t go out tonight, not when they’re like this.”

The doorbell then rang, signalling that their babysitter was here.

“ _They’re_ going to want us to go out when they see who I roped in for babysitting duties.” Matt told her as Sylvie narrowed her eyes.

“I’ll answer it!” Jack said excitedly as he ran out of the room.

“Who did you get?” Sylvie asked, but before she could answer they heard Jack exclaim from the door.

_“Uncle Gallo! Uncle Ritter!”_

Sylvie’s face softened as she let out a breathy laugh. Their kids loved spending time with Gallo and Ritter, they always had so much fun – though she did think it was the most bizarre thing in the world that they called the members of their 51 family *Uncle Surname*. In a strange way, it did seem fitting. Maybe this night _could_ take a turn for the better.

Matt lifted Annie off the island and stood back as she and Elliot ran into the hallway to _immediately_ tell Ritter and Gallo about their injuries.

“How did you manage to swing this one?” Sylvie asked.

Matt shrugged, “Didn’t need to swing it, I was struggling to get someone and they overheard, said they would gladly do it. Apparently a night with the little Caseys is one of the best ways to spend an evening.”

Sylvie chuckled, “They certainly know how to make you laugh…”

Matt walked towards Sylvie and hugged her, holding her tightly against his chest as she listened closely to his steady heartbeat, allowing it to calm her down.

“I’m sorry I didn’t hear the screaming.” He apologised. “I know you think it means we can’t go out, but it is exactly why we _should_. They need distracted from their pains by their fun uncles and we need something breathing space and some time together. This will all be waiting for us when we get back.”

Sylvie sighed, “I know, you’re right.” She lifted her head and looked up at him. “this life is chaotic – and I wouldn’t want to do it with anybody else.”

“Back at you Brett” he said with a little wink as he quickly kissed her. “Come on, we better get going, we don’t want to miss our reservation.”

“God I am in _dire_ need of a decent meal.” Sylvie said with a chuckle as she followed Matt into the hallway.

She was incredibly thankful that they had people in their lives to relieve them from their chaos and allow them to just be Sylvie and Matt for the night. She would always treasure the alone time they could have.

* * *

It was a Saturday morning and Sylvie woke up with a smile on her face. She and Matt had put in for a few days of furlough and had booked themselves into a fancy hotel in Lincoln Park for the evening. They couldn’t _wait_ , it felt like forever since they’d had some time to themselves.

Sylvie rolled over and found her husband still fast asleep, one arm above his head, his other hand resting on his chest. Even after being together for over 20 years, waking up to him never got old.

She moved closer towards him to wake him up, but before she could she heard three angry set of footsteps coming up the stairs – accompanying three bickering voices. Sylvie groaned and put her hand over her face, waiting for the chaos to hit.

_“MOM!”_ she heard Annie exclaim first as she stormed into the room followed by her brothers. The action caused Matt to wake up with a jump. He lifted his head slightly to stare at his children before closing his eyes and pulling his pillow over his head. It was way to early to deal with their fighting.

“Annie, inside voices, please.” Sylvie asked her as she sat up in bed.

“Whatever – can you tell your son to stop being such an _asshole_!” Annie exclaimed as Jack shoved her onto the armchair in the corner of the room. Annie’s face was like _thunder_ as she jumped up and launched at her brother, but Elliot quickly stepped in between them and held Annie back.

“Yeah their argument is stupid but I have a _genuine_ problem” Elliot began as Sylvie sighed. “My laptop is broken and I need it for this assignment due on Monday. Jack won’t give me the car to go get it fixed so I need a ride.” He explained. “Please” he quickly added on to the end as Annie managed to wiggle out of his arms and huffed beside Elliot, waiting for her turn to speak.

“We can’t Elliot, we’re heading away this weekend, you know that.” Sylvie reminded him. They’d warned their kids multiple times that they were off parenting duties for the weekend. Besides, the boys were 18 now and Annie was 14 – they were capable of taking care of themselves for a few days.

“Which brings me to _my_ problem.” Annie said as she took a step forward.

Jack scoffed, “It’s not a problem, it’s just Annie being a _Princess._ ”

“Would you let me speak?” Annie snapped as Jack held up his hands in surrender. “I have a sleepover tonight at Jessica’s house and I am _well_ aware that you and dad are going away today because I actually listen to you unlike these two _goofs_ , so I asked Jack _nicely_ to give me a ride tonight and to pick me up in the morning and he is refusing to do it! Apparently he has big plans with Harper that can’t be delayed by 15 minutes.” She said with a frustrated puff.

“My life does not revolve around you Annie.” Jack made clear. He’d had these plans set in stone for months now with his girlfriend Harper, he wasn’t prepared to change them – he shouldn’t have to, he wasn’t Annie’s chauffeur!

“God, you are _so_ selfish, do you ever do anything for anyone other than yourself?” Annie said with an eyeroll.

Sylvie began rubbing her temples as her kids all started shouting at each other – for absolutely no discernible reason. Most of the time, the Casey kids got on famously well. They were a tight trio and would back each other through thick and thin – but like every single set of siblings, when they fought, they really _fought._ It was often petty and ridiculous and drove their parents nuts – like right in this moment.

Sylvie looked down at Matt and saw that he was blissfully ignoring the shouting happening right at the foot of his bed. He had an annoying habit of doing that. He remained perfectly still, his breathing was steady, and his pillow blocking out the view.

Her head snapped round to the kids and she finally lost her cool, _“Enough!”_ she exclaimed. “We need some alone time!” she added as they looked at her in a stunned silence. “Our world does not revolve around you three!”

Sylvie surprised herself with her outburst. She’d never told her kids that they needed a break from them before – but she was at the end of her tether. She did feel like she need to back track a little though and quickly added, “But we love you so much, don’t ever forget that.”

“Don’t stray…” Matt mumbled from where he was lying. Maybe he wasn’t so blissfully unaware after all...

Sylvie shook her head and focused back in, “Right, _alone time_. We have had this trip planned for _weeks_ and we are not going to change that for you three. Which means Jack – you can take your sister to her sleepover and you can pick her up in the morning – it doesn’t affect your date with Harper, only delays it by a few minutes. Elliot, Uncle Ritter is a tech whiz, go ask him to help you fix your computer and you can walk to his place from here.

“But—”

_“No buts!_ ” Matt exclaimed as he set up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He just wanted a little bit of a lie in this Saturday – but apparently that was too much to ask. “We’re not always going to be here to solve your problems, you need to learn to think for yourselves and come up with solutions and help each other out in the process. You’re bright kids and you’re Caseys – we love to solve a problem, it’s practically in our DNA.” He justified. “Now please – _go away_.” He said firmly as all three of them pouted and sulked out of the room.

Once they had left, Sylvie and Matt looked at each other briefly before flopping back onto the bed. They lay in silence for a few moments before Sylvie turned to Matt.

“I know you wanted to leave after lunch but what do you say about going now?” she asked hopefully.

Matt smirked, “But I had plans for this morning…” he said as he rolled over and hovered above her, causing Sylvie to laugh.

“Oh yeah?” she asked as he nodded. He bumped his nose against hers before he delicately kissed her and slowly lowered his body down against hers. Sylvie moved her head to deepen the kiss, but yet again – they didn’t get very far before their children’s voices bellowed down the hall.

_“We can hear you, you know!”_

_“Yeah this house is big but it’s not that big!”_

_“So gross.”_

Matt and Sylvie sighed deeply.

“Let’s get out of here.” Matt said as they both scrambled out of bed.

_“Please.”_

As difficult as it sometimes was to find some time to themselves, Matt and Sylvie wouldn’t change any part of their lives for the world. Their chaos was _theirs_ – and it made the moments they did find to be alone even more special.


	72. Nice Couple, Nice Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stella and Severide share some words at Sylvie and Matt's wedding, while Sylvie meets a little girl with her own sweet words to share.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Back with another snippet from Brett and Casey's wedding. For a reminder of the wedding ceremony, it's in Chapter 12 "Compassionate Companions" if you want a refresher.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

**Nice Couple, Nice Family**

Sylvie stood at the railings of the garden rooftop, staring out over the city lights that were beautifully illuminating her favourite place on Earth. This entire day had felt like a dream Sylvie didn’t want to wake up from. She had married her best friend surrounded by her closest friends and family and she had never felt a peace like it in her life. It felt like all the difficulties and heartache and pain they had gone through in life had led them to this moment. It had led them to the right person and it made everything feel entirely worth it.

What made the day even more special for Sylvie was the fact that all her closest friends and family were here. It was an intimate wedding, and it was perfectly Sylvie and Matt. It was nothing elaborate, but something that showcased the deep and beautiful love they had for one another. The tables were set in a giant square so they could all share in their meal together and everyone was chatting gleefully around them. 

While Sylvie had teared up a little during the ceremony, it was her _mother_ who cried the most. She was totally overcome with joy and pride at her little girl getting married and she hadn’t stopped all day. Mouch had been a close second on the tear front. Trudy had warned them that he was a total sucker for an epic love story – and Sylvie and Matt’s story certainly was just that. It wasn’t rooted by deep angst that they had to overcome, rather, it was rooted in a deep respect and a deep desire for a lasting partnership. Anybody who looked at them could tell that the love they felt for one another was as easy as breathing to them.

Their night was drawing to an end and as Sylvie looked out over the skyline of Chicago, she felt a hand delicately snake around her waist and soft butterfly kisses placed across her exposed shoulder. She hadn’t stopped smiling all day yet her cheeks still didn’t ache. She turned her head slightly as her husband smiled against her skin.

_Her husband. Boy did that sound good._

“What’s on your mind Mrs Casey?” he asked as he placed a final delicate kiss against her jaw.

“I was just thinking about how good it feels to call you husband.” She told him as he grinned. “And how good it feels to hear you call me Mrs Casey.”

“I can assure you – it feels even better to say.” He insisted as they laughed lightly against each other’s lips before softly kissing.

Matt’s fingers began tracing patterns across her exposed back as she sighed and leaned her forehead against his, “I’m not sure I want tonight to end.”

“It’s not over yet. We’ve still got—” Matt began, but suddenly, they heard a knife clink against a glass as they turned around and saw Stella stand from her chair.

“If I could have everybody’s attention please...” She said as everybody fell silent around them.

_“Speeches”_ Matt whispered to Sylvie, finishing off his sentence. It was like Stella had read his mind. They’d asked Stella and Severide to share just a few words towards the end of the day. There truly was nobody else they’d rather have doing this.

“Kelly and I have been tasked with sharing a few words about the bride and groom before we let them head off on their honeymoon.” Stella said as everybody teasingly cheered causing Sylvie to blush intensely. Matt on the other hand chuckled lightly as he and Sylvie moved to take their seats at the head of the table to listen to their friends’ words.

“When Matt and Sylvie asked us to do this, I was completely honoured and excited, but… the closer the day of the wedding came, the more nervous I got about it. I had no idea what to say, simply because I didn’t know where to start.” Stella explained as everyone listened intently to her words. Everybody on this rooftop knew that whatever Stella and Severide had to say about their best friends would speak for all of them. “When I arrived at 51 I had a hell of a lot going on in my life and I came in as this brash, over confident newbie dying to impress the people in what I knew was the best house in the city. It didn’t take me long to realise that with Sylvie – I didn’t need to be anything other than myself around her. She welcomed me with open arms, and she has never let me down since. She is the voice of reason in my personal life and Matthew Casey – is the voice of reason in my _professional_ life.” She said with a laugh as all of 51 nodded and laughed in agreement. “Or should I say _all_ of our professional lives.” She added. “You challenge us everyday to be the best firefighters that we can be, and we only hope that we do you proud every time we ride out. The care and compassion that you both have for everybody around you is what makes me so unbelievably happy that you now have each other to receive that in return. You are two of the best people I know and will probably _ever_ know – and it’s a real blessing to watch you two grow together as people and as partners in life. I love you, so much.” She said with a little wink as Sylvie and Matt beamed at her, the thanks written all over their faces.

Stella then sat down as Severide stood up, awkwardly fixing his tie and clearing his throat.

“I’m not really one for giving speeches” Severide began with a little laugh as Stella smiled encouragingly at him. “But for these two I think I can manage to say at least a few nice things about them.” He joked. “When Sylvie Brett rocked up at Firehouse 51, I was in a pretty dark place. I don’t really think she knew how to take me at first and I didn’t make it easy for her to slot into our family. I even invited her to Vegas at one particularly _low_ point, but thankfully Brett had the sense to say no.” he said with a laugh that everyone returned.

Matt frowned as he put two and two together. Sylvie had just arrived at 51, Severide invited her to Vegas… where he ended up _marrying Brittany_. “Wait…” Matt mumbled as Sylvie turned to him and subtly winked at him.

“Don’t worry about it” she insisted with a smirk that Matt couldn’t help but return. That period of grief at 51 felt like it was another lifetime ago – and in a way it was. How things had so drastically changed since then.

“From that moment on” Severide continued as Sylvie and Matt turned back to listen to their friend. “Sylvie never failed to impress me. The fact that she was willing to dive to save us from falling off a roof tells you all you need to know about the lengths she is willing to go for her 51 family.”

Sylvie let out a breath of relief at that memory (and she knew her mother was probably doing the same thing right now – she really didn’t need to know the details of that one…).

“But Sylvie does more than step up on the job. She was one of the first people in my life to see right through me. She saw the good in me when I didn’t feel like looking for the good in myself – like she does with everybody. I’m grateful that I can call her friend and I’m even more grateful that my best friend can call her _wife_.” Severide said, the sincerity evident in his voice as he turned his attention to Matt. “Casey – it’s been a _hell_ of a ride.” He said as everybody laughed knowingly. “You and I have seen through a lot together. The good, the bad and everything in between. I’ve never fought against somebody like I’ve fought against you – but I’ve also never fought _alongside_ somebody like I’ve fought alongside you. I’m grateful for your leadership at 51, but I’m more grateful for your friendship. Sylvie is very lucky to have you fight alongside her for a lifetime – and I wish you every happiness in the world. So, if everybody would like to raise a glass with me” Severide said as everyone did so, turning their attentions to Sylvie and Matt at the top of the table. “To the new Mr and Mrs Casey. I love you both. Cheers.”

Everyone clinked glasses as Sylvie and Matt sealed the toast with a kiss.

* * *

Their day had finally come to a close as Sylvie and Matt made their way around the room to say goodbye to everybody before they left for their honeymoon. They were heading to Bora Bora courtesy of Sylvie’s parents. They knew how hectic Sylvie and Matt’s lives were in Chicago and they wanted them to have as restful a honeymoon as possible. A secluded island like Bora Bora seemed like the perfect place.

The last people they saw as they walked out of the door were Stella and Severide. They thanked them for their speeches as Matt joked that he didn’t realise Severide had it in him to say such nice things. Stella quickly insisted that words like that were only reserved for the people he really loved, and Matt knew that to be true. He valued his friendship with Severide a hell of a lot and he hoped he could only return his words someday. Sylvie also had hopes about a future Stella-Severide wedding – she sneakily handed Stella her bouquet as they left, leaving Stella to draw her own conclusions. 

After having a ton of confetti thrown over them, they made their way downstairs. As they got the door, Matt released Sylvie’s hand, saying he was going to grab her shawl and ask the people on the front desk to bring their car round to the front.

As Matt walked away, Sylvie stood alone for just a few moments. She soon heard a little whisper behind her say:

_“Wow… you’re so beautiful.”_

Sylvie turned around to find a little girl, maybe only 7 years old, staring up at her with wide eyes, her mouth slightly a gap.

Sylvie giggled lightly, “Oh, thank you.”

The little girl looked over to the desk Matt was standing at, “And you look like a really nice couple.” She added with her own little giggle. “Like something out of a fairy-tale.”

Sylvie was taken aback by the little girl’s words. They weren’t anything significant, but the little girl said them with such meaning and wonder in her voice. _A really nice couple out of a fairy-tale_. She couldn’t help but think about her princess obsession she had growing up. Alongside wishing that her birth parents were British royals, she also wished that Prince Charming would sweep her off her feet.

As she got older, she grew to understand that she didn’t need or want anybody to sweep her off her feet. Rather, her Prince Charming should be someone who complimented her life and pushed her to be better every day. In that sense – Matt Casey really was her Prince Charming.

“What’s your name?” Sylvie asked the little girl as she continued to stare up at Sylvie in awe.

“Maddie”

Sylvie bent down and reached into her hair, pulling out a flower that was pinned in the back. “Well Maddie… this for you.” She said as she handed her the delicate flower. “You should press this in a book and when you find it again in however many years, you can remember that it’s from the day you made a bride smile.”

Maddie gasped with glee as she took the flower from Sylvie’s hand, “Thank you”

_“Maddie, come on sweetie!”_

Maddie turned around to see her mother calling her over.

“Bye, thanks for the flower!” Maddie called as she ran down the street towards her mother, just as Matt came back with her white shawl Sylvie had brought to try and beat the late-night chill as they left.

“Ready?” he asked as he placed the shawl over her shoulders.

Sylvie immediately nodded her head. “Yeah. I’m more than ready.”

Matt stared at her for a moment as he took in the meaning behind her words. Earlier, she hadn’t been sure she wanted their night to end, but now, she wasn’t just ready to go on their honeymoon. She was ready for the rest of their lives to start right now – and so was he.

* * *

_** 10 Years Later **_

“Momma look!” a four-year-old Annie shouted from the roof top as she pointed straight ahead of her. “I can see the lake from here.” She said excitedly as Sylvie walked over and ran her hand over her daughter’s curly ponytail.

“Yeah, you can. Do you like the view?” she asked her daughter as Annie frantically nodded.

“Did you and daddy really get married here?” she asked curiously. She imagined that it must have been so magical.

Sylvie nodded and smiled, “We did, ten years ago today.” It may have been ten years ago, but it felt like it was yesterday. Matt and Sylvie were heading to Hawaii to celebrate their anniversary that evening, but they wanted to take their kids on a little trip to the rooftop they got married on before they went. They were glad they did – their kids were amazed by the view and were continually pointing out all of the Chicago sights that they recognised.

“This must look so cool at night with all the lights” Elliot observed as he, Jack and Matt came back over from the other side of the terrace.

Matt nodded, “Yeah it’s pretty spectacular. But truthfully…” he began as he wrapped his arm around his wife and leaned into kiss her. “Your mom was my favourite view that day” he said cheesily causing Sylvie to laugh into his kiss and his kids to make _bleugh_ sounds at the sight. They could appreciate that a wedding was a special thing, but understandably, they didn’t have a full grasp on romance just yet…

_“No way…”_ they heard someone say behind them. They turned around and saw a teenage girl standing there with a smile on her face. “You’re the bride I made smile on her wedding day.”

Sylvie’s smile grew as the memory of this girl came flooding back. What were the odds that she would be on this rooftop, this exact same day ten years later? 

“Maddie, right?” Sylvie asked as she took a step towards her.

Maddie nodded her head, amazed that Sylvie remembered her name. “Yeah, Maddie. I still have your flower in a book at home.”

“That’s really nice to hear.” Sylvie told her sincerely. “And you’re all grown up now. Ten years really have flown by huh?”

“That’s for sure” Maddie said as she looked past Sylvie towards Matt and their kids. She smiled at them all. “You looked like a really nice couple on your wedding day. Now you look like a really nice family.”

Sylvie was stunned yet again by Maddie’s words. They were so simple, yet so full of meaning for her. She was suddenly reminded of a memory from years ago after a little boy had turned up at the station in the middle of a superstorm. Matt had picked her up from the police station after the little boy had been returned to his family. He stood behind her as they watched them hug each other with such joy.

Then Matt had said quietly to her:

_“They look like a nice family.”_

Little did she know that Matt would be standing behind her over ten years later with _their_ family as someone said those same words about them.

She scoffed humorously to herself.

It appeared that the universe did have a sense of humour after all.


	73. Compromise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sylvie and Matt experience some teething problems when they move in together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cause not every couple can be perfect...
> 
> Set 7 months into their relationship and a few weeks after Chapter 28 'Eyes are Windows to the Soul' and part 1/3 of chapter 35 'Nancy'.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it!

_"Matt?”_ Sylvie called as she stumbled through the apartment door, numerous shopping bags in hand.

Since she and Matt had moved into their temporary apartment about a month ago, Sylvie had been spending all the free time she could turning it into the perfect space for them. The construction work on their dream home was already underway, but since that would take some time, she wanted to make this space as cosy as possible for them. She’d spent the day picking up groceries and a few decorative things for their apartment and the struggle to carry all of her bags to their door was _real_ – but she couldn’t wait to show Matt what she’d bought and where she planned on putting it in their space.

Sylvie had never lived with her partner before, so it was a new – but exciting – step for her to take. While it felt like an easy decision, they had only been together for around 7 months. They’d spent 24 hour shifts together for the past 6 and a half years, so they knew each other pretty well. There were, however, still some things to discover. There hadn’t been anything drastic – and they didn’t anticipate that changing – but there were a few little things that were beginning to nag at them.

The first week together had been great (aside from the whole Halleck incident.) They knew the ‘newly engaged’ and the ‘newlywed’ glow existed, but they didn’t expect how much they would love the ‘newly moved in together’ glow. They couldn’t get enough of each other and it was safe to say they’d christened every space in the apartment multiple times...

But things shifted when Matt’s mom made a surprise visit. She scared the _hell_ out of Sylvie, causing a trip to the ER after she dropped a glass and cut her foot. At the time they’d laughed about it. Sylvie was too consumed with meeting Nancy for the first time to really care about her foot. But then the discomfort and pain set in and she had been walking with a slight hobble as she tried to manage the pain – which was why she was frustrated right now.

She’d called Matt when she was downstairs to come and help her with all of these bags, but he hadn’t picked up. She knew he was here, his truck was out front, and now when she was calling through the apartment he _still_ wasn’t answering. She dropped the bags around her so she didn’t have to stumble any further.

She bent down to lift a few grocery bags to start putting them away, but as she stood up, her frustration only grew. The apartment was a _mess_. There were construction plans and paperwork and tools covering the island, dining table and even the coffee table. How was she supposed to sort anything out?!

If there was anything Sylvie Brett hated in this world it was mess. She was slightly taken aback that Matt could be messy – he was meticulous about things in the firehouse. She wouldn’t have minded as much about this mess if Matt was still here – but he’d vanished, leaving it all behind him. She briefly glanced down at what was on the table and immediately concluded that he needed to adopt Sylvie’s filing and paperwork system that she perfected in high school. It had been 15 years and it had never let her down.

Before she could huff any further, Matt came into the room, his hair wet. He smiled when he saw her.

“Hey, you’re back. I was just taking a shower before I head to this construction site, didn’t get a chance to this morning.”

Sylvie sighed and set the groceries back down on the floor. “It’s good to know that you’re meticulous about your firehouse paperwork but not your construction paperwork…” she grumbled as she motioned to the messes around her.

Matt immediately picked up on her frustration about it and quickly walked over to the mess; “I wasn’t finished.” He explained – but that didn’t stop Sylvie from starting to clear things away.

“That’s fine, but you should at least clear up a little bit and not take over the whole living space, I have no where to set the groceries down.” She reasoned as she quickly scooped up the paper.

Matt reached out and held her arm to stop her from scrambling everything together. It may have looked like a mess, but it was an _organised_ mess. Everything was where it was supposed to be. It was a big job, and it was causing a little bit of stress, so he really didn’t need this right now. “Well you don’t have to tidy up after me, especially when I have more work to do.” He said, his own frustrations evident in his voice. She was _always_ cleaning up after him and it drove him a little crazy. He’d set his coffee mug down in the morning to get some cereal and he’d turn back a few moments later to find the mug had already been put in the dishwasher – even though it was half full.

Sylvie stood up straighter and put her hands on her hips; “Have I ever shown you my filing system?”

“ _Many_ times.” He grumbled as he set out his papers again from the pile Sylvie had shoved them into.

“I _really_ think it could help you out here.” She said as she lifted the groceries and found a space by the sink to set them.

“Babe I’ve been doing this for twenty years, my system is fine.” He made clear. He appreciated that it was something that worked for Sylvie, but that didn’t mean it had to work for him.

“Not if it’s making a mess of my kitchen.”

“ _Your_ kitchen?” had she forgotten that she was now living with another person? It appeared she had quickly adjusted to living by herself for the past six months.

“I’m just asking you not to be so messy, it’s not a big deal.” She said, raising her voice slightly.

“And I’m asking you not to clean up my work, it’s all laid out like this for a reason.” He snapped back.

“Oh, so is that why you leave your towel in the middle of the bedroom floor instead of hanging it up? It’s laid there for a reason?” she exclaimed as she stormed across the room towards their bedroom to prove that the towel from the shower he had just taken was probably lying on the floor.

Matt quickly turned to go after her; “Sylvie – _dammit!”_ he suddenly exclaimed as Sylvie turned around and saw him clutching his shin and biting his bottom lip. “That console was not there yesterday.” Matt groaned as Sylvie looked down, realising that he’d smacked his leg off a piece of furniture.

Sylvie crossed her arms, “I know I moved it, it fits better there.”

“That’s the _fourth_ time you’ve moved it and the _fourth_ time I’ve hit my shin off it.” He groaned. It appeared that Sylvie wasn’t the only one with growing frustrations. Any time Sylvie got a little antsy, she moved furniture. Matt thought it was the most Sylvie thing in the world and it made him laugh – but not anymore. Now he had fallen victim to her constant rearranging, and he was _mad_. The bruises on his shins were all the proof he needed that this had to stop.

“Well maybe if you look where you’re going that wouldn’t be a problem.” Sylvie reasoned.

“Maybe if you stopped moving the furniture it wouldn’t be a problem, it was fine where it was the first time!” he shouted as the switch flicked and their disagreement became a full-blown fight.

“Why are you so worked up about the furniture?!”

“Why are you so worked up about my mess?! It’s not going to stay like that forever!”

“You’d get used to the new placement of the console, what I _won’t_ get used to is the random spots you drop your towel after you shower, I tripped over it yesterday and smacked by head off the door! It’s just inconsiderate Matt, there’s more than just you living here!”

“Take your own advice Sylvie, you can’t expect every space to be perfectly tidy for you all of the time.”

“I get that, but it doesn’t need to be _this_ messy!”

“Well your head should talk to my shins, but sure, leave the console where it is.” He conceded as he quickly grabbed his construction plans and paperwork. This was a dumb fight, and he didn’t want to have it. “I’m going to the construction site and then Severide and I are going to the Blackhawks game, don’t wait up.”

_“I won’t.”_ she said through her teeth as Matt walked out of the apartment and slammed the door.

Maybe this stage wasn’t so blissful after all.

* * *

“Good morning 51, what’s happening?” Stella brightly greeted as she walked into the lounge the following morning. As she looked around her, it appeared the normal was happening. Mouch was sitting watching the morning news, Hermann was yet again grumbling about Gallo’s vegan breakfast options while Gallo was _defending_ his cooking and Tuesday was happily resting in her doggie bed in the corner.

As she sat down at the table, however, something _did_ feel off. She paused and looked around her for a moment, trying to place the problem. It didn’t hit her until Severide walked into the room.

“Hey – where’s Brett and Casey?” she asked him.

Severide shrugged, “Haven’t seen them. Must be running late.”

Stella frowned. That really wasn’t like them. She looked at her watch and saw that they still had a few minutes before shift started, but they were normally the first two here. Casey liked to get a head start on his paperwork while Brett liked to get inventory sorted before breakfast. They were also normally really good at keeping each other prompt.

“Casey was grumpy as hell last night” Severide added as he sat beside her. “Couldn’t work out why. He’s maybe sick or something.” He suggested.

Just as Stella lifted out her phone to text Sylvie, the doors opened and they appeared – their faces like _thunder_. All of 51 stopped to watch as Brett momentarily glanced at Casey, clenched her jaw and then they stormed off in opposite directions.

The lounge remained silent. This certainly was a first.

“Well, that’s a mood changer...” Mouch grumbled from the couch. If anybody at 51 was in a bad mood, _especially_ their Captain, then it was almost guaranteed that the rest of 51 would be in a bad mood soon too.

“I’m sure it’s nothing…” Stella insisted as stood from the table and went to find Sylvie. She soon found her scribbling something down on a piece of paper in the locker room.

“Hey...” Stella greeted as she cautiously approached. “What’s going on?”

“Oh just the usual – Casey refusing to let go of _any_ sort of control he has over a situation.” She snapped as Stella instinctively took a step back. Sylvie sighed, “And maybe me too… I think we both have control problems.” She grumbled. It appeared that self-reflection was a necessity right now. Sylvie stood up and walked past her friend and into the bunk room, but Stella stayed quickly on her tail.

“You want to talk about it?” Stella asked. “Might help you to work through whatever is frustrating you.”

Sylvie spun on her heel to look at Stella. She folded her arms over her chest and began explaining the situation.

“Casey is meticulous about everything in his life. He is organised and neat – except when it comes to his construction work. He uses the island or the dining table – a communal space - and he leaves it a total _mess_! How am I supposed to eat?!” she exclaimed as Stella jumped slightly at her outburst, before choosing to sit down on a bunk for the rest of this. “So, I tidy up after him and then he gets mad that I tidied when _I_ am the only person who should be mad. He needs to adopt my filing and paperwork system, I swear it would make his life easier.” Sylvie reasoned. From the tone in her voice, it was clear she’d already tried having this conversation with Matt, but it hadn’t gone how she’d hoped.

“So… you’re mad because he’s a little messy?” Stella asked, wondering how on Earth something that seemed fairly insignificant to her could amount to the frosty glare Sylvie sent Matt’s way this morning.

Sylvie sighed, “There have been a few other teething problems…”

Stella raised her eyebrows as she waited for Sylvie to elaborate. She stared at them for a moment, before sitting down on the bunk opposite them to spill the details.

“He never hangs his towel up, and I tripped over it the other day and hit my head off the door – so I got mad at that.” Sylvie explained.

“So, it was just one thing after another?” Stella questioned, trying to help Sylvie process why she was mad.

“Yeah… and when I get stressed, I move furniture, it calms me, it brings order to my life – but it drives Casey _crazy._ I keep moving things and he keeps hitting his shin off a table or a chair that wasn’t there the last time.” She said with a regretful grimace. “He rarely swears but I have made him _very_ sweary the past few weeks… if you notice him screwing his face up when he walks, it’s cause he has a nice purple bruise on his shin and another one on his big toe.” She confessed.

“Moving in with another person is not an easy thing. It sounds like you’re just getting used to each other in a different way. You’ll work it out.” Stella insisted. She knew exactly how it felt to move in with someone. One moment you have your own space and then the next your life is supposed to slot perfectly into somebody else’s. There’s _bound_ to be kinks. Besides, if anybody could healthily work through their problems it was Brett and Casey.

“God, I hope so. I’m _so_ frustrated with him but I’m also _sick_ of being frustrated. I didn’t even say goodnight to him last night. I could barely sleep, it just felt so wrong.” She confessed as Stella gave her a sympathetic smile. Not having the simplest things in life, like saying goodnight to the person you loved most in this world, could seriously mess with your day.

“Well maybe some inventory will help get you out of your funk. I'll help you with ambo if you help me with truck.” Stella said as she grabbed Sylvie’s hand and pulled her off the bed.

“Yeah, I just need to leave this note for Casey” Sylvie said as she turned to walk towards his quarters. She knew he was in a meeting with Boden so now was the chance to leave the note.

“Note? Why don’t you just text him?” Stella asked.

“No, it’s this thing I do, I always leave him a little note in the middle of his paperwork. He’s often drowned by it so it’s just a little pick me up.” Sylvie said with a disinterested shrug. She knew that being a Captain could get overwhelming. There was a lot of responsibility, so a reminder of just how much he was appreciated and loved was the least Sylvie could do in her opinion.

“That’s really sweet.” Stella said, the surprise evident in her voice. On any normal day, she wouldn’t be even remotely surprised, but she figured Sylvie wouldn’t want to do something like that right now.

“It’s whatever. Not that he deserves it today…” she grumbled.

And there it was…

Before Stella could say anything else, the bells went off calling ambo to a person in distress. Sylvie quickly set the note down in the middle of the paperwork on Matt’s desk before running out the door.

Hermann always said that every good shift began with a call before breakfast, but Sylvie wasn’t so sure.

* * *

Sylvie returned from the call a few hours later feeling even more drained than when she started the shift. There had been a shooting at an apartment complex and all three of the victims they found didn’t make it. Every loss was a tough one to take, but this hit especially hard after the few days she’d had.

All she wanted to do was run back to 51 and apologise to Matt for everything. Life was fragile and she would have never forgiven herself if he’d been hurt on a call today and they hadn’t made their fight right. She walked into the lounge trying to think of what she would say to him, but she didn’t get very far when Cruz caught her attention.

“Hey Brett. Casey made you a caramel milkshake, it’s in the fridge.” He said as he nodded towards it.

Sylvie stood frozen for a second. God, that was just what she needed right now – _and he knew that_. It was one of her favourite pick me ups after a bad call and as mad as he was with her, he made sure it was waiting for her anyway.

Sylvie turned around and looked at Stella who had her eyebrows raised, just willing for Sylvie to see what she could very clearly see.

“What?” Sylvie asked quietly.

“You guys have been mad at each other for the past few days – but like _always_ , he sat by the radio when we were out on call to make sure you were ok and when he knew that it was a rough one, he made sure to have a caramel milkshake waiting for you when you got back.” Stella exclaimed. Matt never acknowledged that he sat by the radio when she wasn’t here, but everybody knew it. “And _you_ still left him a little note in his paperwork to find to make his day that little bit brighter.”

“Well – yeah. I may be frustrated but that doesn’t change how much I love him.” Sylvie said quietly as she looked at her feet.

“And it doesn’t change how much he loves you either.” Stella added as Sylvie remained quiet. “Don’t spend the rest of the day angry Brett. Not with the person you love most in this world.”

* * *

Before Sylvie could make things right with Matt, truck had been called out to an accident scene. Sylvie was secretly grateful – it gave her more time to work out what she was going to say. She spent the time they were gone doing laundry and enjoying her milkshake and wishing away the time until he got back.

As she threw her last load of bedsheets into the wash, a voice at the door made her jump.

“I got your note.” He said as Sylvie turned around and saw Matt leaning against the door frame, her note in his other hand. He opened it up and read it aloud; “I like you because and I love you despite. Feels appropriate…” he said with a smirk. She liked him because of his goodness, but she loved him in spite of his mess...

“Well I do. Love you that is.” She told him quietly.

“I know. And I love you too.” He made clear as he walked towards her. “And tomorrow I am going to start turning the spare room into an office space so you can have your island and dining table back.”

Sylvie shrugged, “if you want to use the dining room table that’s ok with me. Just maybe leave the island alone…”

“That sounds like a deal.” Matt said as he ran his hand over her shoulder.

“I also really like where the console is right now, so I promise I won’t move it again – and if I do, I’ll be sure to let you know.” She teased.

“Good because I’m not sure my shins can handle it.” He said with a chuckle as he teasingly pinched her sides.

Sylvie reached up and absentmindedly played with the bugles on his collar. “I like compromising with you.” She'd wanted everything to be perfect as they moved in together, but the past weeks had proven that wasn't possible. It did, however, give her the chance to appreciate that they could fight like this, but know that they had the sensibilities to work it out and meet each other half way.

Matt scoffed, “You couldn’t like it more than I do, _believe me_.” It certainly wasn’t something he was used to in a relationship. Even the little things felt like a struggle – but this was different. She was different. They both valued the strength in partnership, and it provided the sturdiest of foundations for their relationship.

“We've driven each other crazy the past few days over the smallest things… but honestly, if this is what our fights are going to amount to then I think the rest of our lives sound pretty great.” Sylvie confessed. She took comfort in knowing that their fights, even over the seemingly insignificant stuff, could be resolved healthily. “Let’s make a deal. We never go to bed angry, we always stay up to fight. I couldn’t sleep all night knowing that we were frustrated with each other.” Sylvie added.

“And we don’t storm out after a fight. I couldn’t concentrate on my work when I stormed out and I barely said a word to Severide at the game.” Matt said as he scrunched up his nose.

Sylvie giggled, “Oh I would hate to get in the way of your bestie time…”

“As long as you don’t touch our cigars, we’re good.” He joked as Sylvie held up her hands.

“Don’t worry” she said as she squinted her eyes with a teasing sincerity.

Matt wrapped his arm around Sylvie’s waist and pulled her closer towards him. He took a minute to just take all of her in. Most days, he couldn’t quite believe that she was his.

“It really is the best feeling in the world.” He said quietly as Sylvie’s hand moved up his arm and rested on the back of his neck.

“What is?”

“Loving you.”

Sylvie’s mouth crept into the biggest grin.

Yeah – the rest of the lives sounded _really_ great.


	74. The Chaos in the Care

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three drabbles of the Caseys caring for each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY ONE CHICAGO EVE EVERYONE!
> 
> I'm so excited for the show to come back tomorrow. Until then - I hope you enjoy this little dose of Brettsey!
> 
> The second part of the story is related to events in chapter 14 and the third part of the story to events in chapter 43.
> 
> (I also haven't edited this completely, so I apologise for any errors...)

**The Chaos in the Care**

After making a quick pitstop on his way home from shift, Matt arrived back to a quiet house. He quickly looked downstairs for his wife, but soon heard some rummaging coming from upstairs and went to investigate what she was up to. When he got to the top of their stairs, he realise the noise was coming from the bathroom and as he moved closer, he was fairly convinced he could hear Sylvie talking to herself…

_“Ugh, nope…”_

_“Ew”_

_“Oop, NO.”_

He made it to the door and stopped to watch her for a moment. She was working her way through her bubble bath collection, smelling each of them, before turning her nose up at every last one. She loved her bath stuff. Baths were one of the few things that truly relaxed her, but this seemed far from relaxing.

“Talking to yourself?” he asked as she jumped slightly and turned around to look at him.

 _“Hi.”_ She said forcefully as she set the bubble bath down and turned the taps on, let the water rush into their deep bath. “I swear this baby is determined to make me hate everything I love.” She grumbled. First trimester sickness was really kicking her butt. She’d hadn’t been able to make it into work the past two shifts because her morning sickness had turned into all day sickness. She’d been put off most of her favourite foods and there weren’t many scents she could tolerate. “I have been throwing up all day and I thought a bath would relax me but all of these bubble bath scents are turning my stomach.” She explained to Matt with a sigh as she rest her hand under her tiny bump.

Matt opened his mouth to speak, but Sylvie got in there quicker. “Also - I feel like my bump is way too big for this early on…” she said as she turned to the side so he could see it a little better.

Matt shrugged, “It looks like a normal 8 week pregnant belly to me” he replied – though he really had no clue.

“I don’t know… it’s like there’s two babies in there or something.” Sylvie said with a little snort as she began to strip down for her bath. “Looks like I’ll be having a bubble-less bath.” She said with a sigh as she climbed in and brought her knees to her chest. Once she was settled, she turned to look at Matt and saw that he was staring adoringly at her. She couldn’t help but smile back at him. “What is it?”

“You’re just very beautiful.” He told her. He always did know the right thing to say to make her heart skip a beat. Sylvie had been a little self-conscious of her changing body, but to Matt, she’d never looked more beautiful. Her body was doing an amazing thing and he couldn’t love her more for it.

“I love you, you know that right?” Sylvie told him as she narrowed her eyes.

Matt chuckled as he walked further into the room and sat down beside the bath. “I had heard that somewhere, yeah.”

“How was shift?” she asked as she lifted her hand out of the bath, allowing him to slip his hand into hers.

“It’s was ok, nothing out of the ordinary.” He told her. They had all missed her terribly over the past week and her absence was really felt. They couldn’t wait to get her back – but were also silently dreading when she had to leave again. “I made a pitstop on the way home.”

“Oh yeah?” she asked, finally noticing that he had a bag in his hand.

“Yeah, just to see Christie. She called yesterday to check in and I told her you hadn’t been feeling great and she said she had just the thing to combat the sickness.” He said as he reached into the bag and lifted out a cooler bag. Sylvie watched as he opened it up and pulled out an ice-pop. “Lemonade and ginger ice-pop. Christie swears by them, said they got her through some rough days when she was pregnant with Violet. She made them for you yesterday, I called by to pick them up.”

“That is so sweet” Sylvie said as she took the ice-pop from it and tried it immediately. “Super tasty too, I’ll have to get the recipe” she said as she happily ate it.

“Also…” he said as he reached into the bag and pulled something else out. “You should never have a bubble-less bath.” Sylvie looked down at what he was holding and saw that it was a baby-friendly bottle of bubble bath. “I know it’s technically for babies and little kids but it’s the only one I could find without a scent.”

Sylvie’s mouth fell open slightly, “How—how did you know?”

Matt chuckled, “I didn’t. I took a guess that the scents wouldn’t agree with you and I didn’t want you to miss out on your favourite way to relax.”

Matt opened the bottle and poured it into the water, using his hand to build the bubbles. Sylvie let herself relax back into the bath, moving her knees away from her chest and lying back slightly.

“You’re pretty good at this caring for people stuff – you should make a career out of it.” Sylvie joked with a grin.

Matt beamed back, “Well I am here for the rest of the day to get you ice lollies and hold your hair back while you puke.” He said as he leaned over the bath and delicately kissed her. Sylvie spent her life caring for those around her, she deserved to feel that same level of care back.

“Thank you” she said quietly, her heart wanting to burst with the love and appreciation she felt for her husband right now.

“Anything for you.”

* * *

Matt was _exhausted_.

Being a firefighter always came with a low-level tiredness the day after shift, but the level of exhaustion he was experiencing right now? He’d never experienced it before – and it had nothing to do with firefighting.

Ever since Elliot bad broken his leg in the park he had been in a _foul_ mood – understandably so. He was frustrated during the day because he couldn’t play with Jack in the same energetic way he normally did, and he was uncomfortable at night and struggled to get to sleep.

Sylvie and Matt didn’t realise someone so small could produce so many tears and their hearts hurt over the pain their little boy was in. They were determined to do whatever they could to ease his discomfort – which often included staying up with him at night. For the past two weeks on the nights that Matt had been at home, he lay on the sofa with Elliot sprawled across his chest, gently rubbing his son’s back and soothing him to sleep.

When Sylvie went to wake her boys up that morning, she knew that was exactly where Elliot was when she didn’t find him in his bed and when she didn’t wake up with Matt beside her.

She sat on the edge of Jack’s bed and gently ran her fingers through the tips of his blonde hair to wake him up.

“Morning baby” she said quietly as Jack’s blue eyes fluttered open.

“Momma – Ellie’s leg was sore again.” He immediately said in a croaky voice. Elliot and Jack’s moods often affected each other’s, and Jack _hated_ seeing his brother so upset. In the mornings, Jack would normally question what was for breakfast or he’d begin telling his parents all about his big play plans for the day – but now, he only woke up with questions and statements of concern for his brother. As sad as it was, it also filled Matt and Sylvie with a sense of comfort – they knew their boys would _always_ look out for one another.

“Yeah baby, it was. He’s in the living room with daddy, let’s go see them.” Sylvie said as she scooped Jack out of bed and carried him out of the room. Jack was still in a bit of a sleep haze and clung to Sylvie like a koala bear. He always did so when he was tired or scared or even a little grumpy.

They made their way downstairs and soon found Matt and Elliot where they expected them to be. To a stranger, the scene looked angelic. They looked entirely peaceful. Sylvie also loved that looking at Elliot was like looking at Matt 40 odd years ago. Their facial features were identical – though Elliot’s eyes were much greener and his hair a little darker.

Jack scrambled out of Sylvie’s arms and ran over to his brother and father. He gently shook Elliot and waited as his brother’s eyes flickered open.

“Wakey-wakey Elliot, it’s time to play!” Jack whisper shouted, jolting Matt awake. He looked groggily at his boys before dropping his head back on his pillow, the exhaustion hitting him immediately. Thank god they weren’t on shift today.

Sylvie sat on the coffee table beside the sofa and ran her fingers through Elliot’s hair, just like she had done with Jack only moments ago. All three of the Casey boys found it comforting to have Sylvie fiddle with their hair.

“Morning baby” Sylvie said as she peppered a few light kisses on Elliot’s cheek. “How’s your leg?”

“Ok” Elliot grumbled, his cheek still squashed against Matt’s chest as his dad absentmindedly ran his hand comfortingly up his back.

“Well how about we have cartoons with our breakfast this morning, that will maybe wake you up a little bit?” Sylvie suggested as Jack’s face beamed and Elliot nodded his head. Cartoons were normally reserved for Saturday mornings – this was _rare,_ and they were determined to take full advantage.

Sylvie lifted Elliot off Matt’s chest and watched closely as Jack wrapped his arm around Elliot’s back and Elliot’s arm drifted over his brother’s shoulders – as helpful as Jack was trying to be, they were very unsteady and Sylvie was just waiting for them to topple over – but they managed to make it to the other side of their L shaped sofa in one piece.

Sylvie switched the TV on before turning her attention to her still snoozing husband. She moved from the coffee table to the edge of the sofa, allowing Matt his turn to have the ends of his hair played with.

“Rise and shine sleepy” she said with a little laugh as Matt grumbled.

“It’s too early.”

“I know but I’m only waking you up to tell you to go to our bed and sleep for a few hours, you need it.” She insisted. He was running on fumes right now and it wasn’t healthy.

Matt covered his eyes with his hand and sighed deeply, “This isn’t going to be good for my migraines.”

Sylvie frowned, the paramedic in her immediately springing into action, “Where are your meds?”

“Bathroom, I’ll get them in a minute…”

“Matt—”

Before Sylvie could protest any further, Matt pulled her down so she was now lying on his chest, taking Elliot’s place. Matt wrapped his arms snuggly around her and smiled against her head.

“Yeah, this is much better. Elliot was acting as a blanket, I needed another one.” He told her with a little chuckle. “Trust me, you’re the best migraine repellent there is.” He joked.

Sylvie smiled, “I’m doubtful. You need to get into a dark room before one kicks in in.” she told him – though she couldn’t bring herself to pull away from his tight hold. Having his arms wrapped around her was one of the best feelings in the world. “And we need to some up with a better sleeping solution for Elliot.”

“It’s fine.” Matt insisted. “It’s only temporary. Elliot needs to sleep well at night if he’s not going to nap during the day, so it’s not a big deal. Anything I can do to make that happen, I will.” He would always go above and beyond for his kids and if that meant a few sleepless nights, then so be it.

“I know, but you also need to look after yourself. These migraines make you really sick.” She reminded him. She cared for him more times than she would have liked during his migraine episodes. Her heart hurt for him every time, she hated seeing him in so much pain.

“Then I’ll just cuddle you some more.” He said as he squeezed her tightly and kissed her head, causing Sylvie to laugh.

“5 more minutes and then you are going into our room, taking your meds, putting a sleeping mask on and blocking out the world.” She insisted.

“Well these are definitely going to be the best 5 minutes of my day…”

Matt kept to the 5 minute cuddle limit like Sylvie had instructed – he knew if he didn’t Sylvie would get mad at him for not taking care of himself. He knew his limits, but sometimes he wasn’t so good at abiding by them.

He managed to avoid a migraine crisis and a few hours extra sleep worked wonders. Much to their amazement as well, Elliot fell asleep in his own bed that night. Though, admittedly, Matt missed holding his son at night. He knew his boys would grow up in the blink of an eye, so he was determined to treasure every sleepless moment with them that he could. That following weekend, Matt and the boys made the most impressive pillow fort in their living room and slept under it all night. It was little memories like this that Matt would always cherish.

* * *

“Matt! Hey, hi, come in – _please.”_

Matt stood at the door to his bedroom, the confusion covering his face over Sylvie’s plea. The sense of desperation was written all over her face. Since she had been stabbed in the chest on call, Sylvie had been home from the hospital for 4 days and had spent most of it in bed. Naturally, their kids were incredibly worried about her and had basically refused to leave her side the entire time she was home.

The Casey kids always held an undercurrent of worry over their parents and the job that they did. They were immensely proud and would gladly brag about what they did for the city, but they always feared seeing their parents in the hospital – they already had a few times and it wasn’t a nice experience for little kids.

“What’s up?” he asked as he walked towards the bed. Sylvie was tucked under the duvet while Jack, Elliot and Annie all sat around her.

“Jack just brought me some tea and some toast.” Sylvie said with a tight smile as Matt looked down at the plate in her hand. The toast was stacked with marmite – a little too much marmite. “There’s also 6 sugars in my tea.” She told him as Matt nodded slowly. How on Earth did he miss Jack doing this? It appeared he was too engrossed in his construction work at the dining room table.

“That uh – that’ll send you into a sugar coma.” Matt said with a little laugh.

“Mom has to keep her energy levels up dad, sugar is great at giving you energy.” Jack informed him.

“It’s also great at making you crash when it leaves your system.” He replied as he looked at Sylvie again whose eyes were wide. It was evident that she was trying to send him a message.

“Uh… lunch is ready, sandwiches on the counter, go get them” he told his kids as they scrambled off the bed and ran out the door.

“Don’t worry momma, we’ll be back soon!” Annie shouted over her shoulder before disappearing.

Matt turned back to Sylvie who was pinching the bridge of her nose.

“I’ll uh – get you something a little more edible.” he said with a little chuckle as he lifted the plate and began to walk towards the door.

“Matt, Matt, Matt, wait” she said quickly as he stopped and turned back to her. “This is going to sound mean and it is absolutely zero reflection on how much I love my children—”

Matt scoffed amusingly; “That’s never a great sentence starter…”

“But you have _got_ to keep them away from me.” Sylvie said as she shook her head and sighed in desperation.

Matt quirked an eyebrow, “… what?” he asked.

“They will _not_ leave me alone. They’re watching me like hawks, and I love that they are so attentive and caring but – _I’m exhausted._ Annie has read _The Butterfly Princess_ to me _three_ times now because she thinks that I need entertained by _her_ favourite book—”

“I think your period romance novels are a little above her reading age” he pointed out as he nodded towards Sylvie’s latest romantic obsession sitting on her bedside table.

“I am perfectly capable of just reading my novel by myself – but when I get the chance to do that, Elliot comes in and he just sits on the armchair and _stares_ at me.” Elliot had always been a bit of a quiet observer. Right now, he was scared that if he took his eyes off his mom for even a second something would happen to her (though Sylvie wasn’t quite sure what he thought would happen to her while she lay perfectly still in bed).

“Yeah that is a little creepy…” Matt agreed with a grimace.

“And Jack – well - you saw the toast and the tea. His creations need to stop because he won’t leave until I take a bite and food poisoning is a _serious_ concern of mine right now.” She pleaded. She had some seriously dodgy pancakes yesterday and a weird fruit and vegetable smoothie that Jack insisted was healthy and good for her.

Matt couldn’t help but smirk at all he was hearing – and Sylvie glared deeply.

“What are you smiling at?” she asked through her teeth. Was her annoyance really that funny to him?

“It’s just – they’re behaving how _you_ would behave. How you _do_ behave when any of us are sick or hurt or sad. They learned it from you. You always make them their favourite foods, read them their favourite stories and watch over them 24/7.” He reminded her. This wasn’t an abnormal occurrence in the Casey household.

Sylvie smiled at him softly, “Says the guy who rocked Annie for 3 weeks straight when she had colic and slept of the sofa for 2 weeks with Elliot on his chest when he broke his leg.” It was no wonder that their children were so caring – their parents were the exact same. It’s all they’d ever known from whenever they were sick or hurt or sad.

“Nothing hurts more than seeing your children in pain. Nothing hurts them more than seeing us in pain.” He reminded her.

Sylvie nodded, “I know – we’re pretty lucky huh?” Their kids were wild, but their hearts were so _good_ – what more could they ask for as parents?

“Oh yeah – definitely better that they’re annoyingly caring than entirely indifferent.” He joked. As much as Matt appreciated what his kids were trying to do for their mom, he could also understanding why it was driving her a little crazy. She felt parented by her own children – and it was a totally bizarre scenario. “Read your book, I’ll get you some food and then later we’ll come and watch a movie. No staring or talking required – just snuggling.”

Sylvie smiled widely, “Sounds perfect.” A snuggle and a cartoon was just what she needed.

Once Matt had left the room and it was filled with silence, Sylvie couldn’t help but reflect on the family that she had. She was eternally grateful that after everything she and Matt had been through, they had a deeply loving and caring marriage and they were raising deeply loving and caring children.

And she couldn’t help but love the chaos that came with the care.


	75. The Brave Firefighter and the Warrior Paramedic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gallo tells the Casey kids an epic story about a brave firefighter and a warrior paramedic.
> 
> Inspired by Gallo's killer storytelling skills in 9x02.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! How well fed were we in 9x01 and 9x02?! So much Brettsey goodness.
> 
> This is a little bit of fluff inspired by Gallo outing Casey's actions to Brett in 9x02. It's set immediately after the second and third sections of chapter 71 "Quiet in the Chaos".
> 
> I hope you enjoy it!

**The Brave Firefighter and the Warrior Paramedic**

_“Ok little Caseys!”_ Ritter exclaimed as he came into the living room of the Casey house. It was getting late and the mess they’d made of the living room had reminded Ritter why he and Gallo were _terrible_ babysitters - by a parent's standard anyway. It was always a fun, but totally destructive evening.

It had been an eventful few days with the Casey’s. Annie had broken her arm at her soccer match and Elliot’s nose was sporting a rather purple bruise from when Jack pushed him over. They had been _miserable_ right up until Ritter and Gallo showed up. Their parents snuck away quietly for their date and no tears had been shed since.

They’d made ice cream sundaes, they played some board games, they watched some cartoons. Normally, there would be more active activities, like turning their living room into a pretend fire scene or having a pillow fight, but their recent injuries didn’t really allow for it. Gallo and Ritter were secretly thankful for that – the Casey kids were constantly hurting themselves. It was a price they paid for their boisterous and bold natures – though it gave Sylvie and Matt _significant_ anxiety. They wished they would sit down with a book more often, instead of feeling like they needed to jump off the climbing frame in the garden any chance they got.

“I think it’s time for bed” Ritter announced as the groans of annoyance echoed through the room – Gallo’s being the loudest.

“But we’re having so much fun Uncle Ritter!” Jack protested from his seat on the couch.

“I know but you’ve already stayed up an hour past your bed time.” He reasoned with them.

“Mom and dad definitely knew that having you look after us meant that bed time would not occur when it should.” Elliot reminded him. “Besides, I almost broke my nose and Annie broke her arm – they would want us to have fun!”

“You guys are good at the emotional manipulation thing…” Ritter grumbled.

Annie frowned, “What’s emotional _manooption_?” she innocently asked.

Ritter smirked, “Nothing… Gallo?” he asked his friend, hoping he had an ounce of sensibility left.

Gallo reluctantly sighed, “Ritter is right.” He conceded as the little Casey’s faces fell. “But… we definitely have time for an epic story after we’ve brushed our teeth.”

Annie narrowed her eyes, “Epic?”

Gallo leaned forward and narrowed his eyes in a similar fashion before nodding, _“Epic.”_

* * *

Soon enough, the little Caseys had made their way upstairs. They’d gotten their pyjamas on and were lying scrunched together on Annie’s bed while Gallo stood at the end of the bed and Ritter sat in the armchair in the corner. They were ready for story time and they already knew it was going to be amazing. The way Gallo usually performed their living room rescue missions were pretty wild and enthusiastic, so if that was any indication, his story telling was going to be very entertaining.

“What kind of story do you want?” Gallo asked.

“Romance please!” Annie exclaimed with a little clap.

“No _way_!” Jack protested as he screwed up his nose at his sister. “I want action.” He said resolutely as Elliot nodded his head in agreement.

Gallo’s face lit up, as if a light bulb had just gone off in his head. He had the _perfect_ story to tell – and it would please all three of them.

“How about – an action romance story?” he suggested.

Jack narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest, “I’m listening…”

Gallo smirked at Ritter who was eyeing him just as curiously. What story was he planning on telling that made him have such a proud look on his face?

Gallo turned back to the little Caseys, “Well—”

 _“Wait!”_ Annie exclaimed as she scrambled out of the bed and ran out of the room. She returned a few moments later with Sunday in tow, allowing the dog to curl up with them at their feet. She knew their dog would want to hear this too.

Annie settled back under the covers and sighed, “ _Now_ we’re ready.”

Gallo chuckled, “Ok… once upon a time, there was a firefighter who was considered to be one of the bravest firefighters in all the land.” He began enthusiastically. As soon as they heard the word ‘firefighter’ they were well and truly _hooked._ “He was the leader of one of the best fire trucks in the city—”

“Like daddy!” Annie quickly pointed out.

“Oh, very much like your dad.” Gallo agreed with a serious nod. “All of his firefighters looked up to him. He fiercely led them into battle and he always went above and beyond to help people in need. At the same firehouse the Captain worked at, there was a _brilliant_ paramedic—”

“Like momma!” Annie interrupted again.

“Oh yeah.” Gallo confirmed as Annie smiled even wider. “Every time she rode on that ambo, she was a real _warrior._ She had the biggest heart and selflessly cared for those in need and those closest to her – but the person she cared for most in this world? Well, it was the brave firefighter she worked alongside.” He revealed as his voice softened – and Ritter caught on to where he was going with this. Gallo’s proud smirk had been entirely justified. This _was_ an epic story.

“Did the firefighter care about her too?” Annie asked hopefully.

“He was _crazy_ about her.” Gallo confirmed. “Their love was so strong it could conquer _anything_ – especially what happened one early Friday morning.”

“What happened?” Jack whispered – it was clear that even he was hooked by the romance, despite his initial protests.

“Well, the warrior paramedic and her partner met a dangerous _foe._ ” Gallo began. “He was angry at the paramedics because they couldn’t save his brother and he wanted revenge. So he jumped in his car and he chased their ambulance down, pointing a gun through the window just waiting to shoot!” he told them as their eyes widened at the urgency in Gallo’s voice. “Eventually he caught up with the ambulance – and he hit it with his car, forcing them off an overpass and down to the ground, _smashing_ the ambulance into pieces.”

 _“No!”_ Annie exclaimed. “She can’t die, the firefighter would be so _sad_!”

“Well the firefighter wasn’t about to let _anybody_ hurt his love.” Gallo said as he jumped up onto Annie’s toybox that rested against the wall. “He jumped into the rig with his crew and they raced to the scene, his distress growing when he couldn’t see them anywhere. His voice was urgent over the radio as he called for them to respond – but there was _silence_.”

“Silence?” Elliot asked in a whisper.

Gallo nodded his head, “ _Silence._ ”

Gallo let the silence sit for a second before he jumped back into the story again, “The truck was zigzagging along the road and then the firefighter spotted the ambulance lying over the embankment and he lost his mind! He was normally so calm and collected on the job, but this wasn’t a job, this was his _love_! He _had_ to get to her no matter the cost!”

“So what did he do?!” Jack exclaimed.

Gallo grinned – he knew this story would suck them in. “Well the truck was blowing past the scene as the driver tried to work out where to turn, but the firefighter was having _none_ of it – he said ‘Forget this! I have to get to my love!’ So he opened his door and he jumped out of the truck while it was _still moving_!” he said as he dramatically jumped off the toy box as the little Caseys gasped.

“That’s _dangerous_.” Elliot said – he’d always been the most cautious of the Casey kids. It had been said many times that Elliot was a thinker and Jack was doer.

“That’s _love.”_ Gallo immediately responded.

“That’s _epic_!” Jack reasoned.

“Would you two be quiet, I want to find out what happens next!” Annie exclaimed as she smacked Jack on the leg.

“He started sprinting towards the ambulance, he jumped over the guard rail, he was like a man _possessed_ by love and a deep desire to protect his warrior paramedic. He was like a superhero!” Gallo said.

“And did he save the warrior paramedic?” Jack asked eagerly.

“I bet she saved _herself,_ she sounds like she could.” Annie suggested. She loved the sound of this paramedic – mainly because she sounded just like her mom.

“Oh, she did in fact get herself out of there. She smashed through the windshield and climbed out just as her firefighter came running towards her. Their hearts swelled with joy after seeing she was ok and that he was here to help. The warrior paramedic knew in that moment that no matter the storm life threw at them, her firefighter would always run to her. She knew their love would stand the test of time and it would always be their greatest strength.” Gallo told them.

“You’re right Uncle Gallo – that is pretty epic.” Elliot told him.

“It’s a true story too.” They heard a familiar voice from the door say as they turned around to see their dad leaning against the door frame.

“Hi daddy!” Annie greeted happily.

“Hi. Did you guys have a good night?” he asked. By the sound of things, they had. Gallo had them hooked by his story. Matt remembered that moment like it was yesterday. He also remembered how Gallo told the story to everybody at 51 – he had a real knack for storytelling.

“The best!” Jack nodded with a smile.

“Sorry they’re not asleep yet Chief, we got a little carried away with story time.” Ritter apologised.

“That’s ok, it sounded like you were telling a good one.” Matt said with a knowing smile that Gallo and Ritter returned.

“And we’re sorry about the mess of your living room…” Gallo added sheepishly.

Matt chuckled, “I’m not sure the living room has ever _truly_ been tidy…” he responded honestly.

“Dad, you said Uncle Gallo’s story was true.” Elliot interrupted, wanting to know more about this. “Do you know the firefighter and the paramedic?”

Matt grinned, “Yeah I know them pretty well.”

“Are they still in love?! Does he still jump out of moving vehicles for her?!” Annie asked eagerly.

“He will _always_ jump out of moving vehicles for her.” Matt said as he walked over to Annie’s bed and leaned over slightly, “And he will always jump out of a moving vehicle for their little monkeys too.” He said with a wink as the little Caseys faces lit up, finally catching on to who the story was about. Of _course_ their parents were the brave firefighter and the warrior paramedic! The saw the love their parents had for each other everyday and it was the greatest gift they didn't even realise they'd been given.

Matt quickly kissed his kids before Jack and Elliot made their way to their own beds. As Gallo and Ritter were leaving, he thanked them for putting smiles on his kids faces after the day they’d had.

 _“We should be thanking you Chief. An evening with those three is always the best.”_ Gallo had replied. If you were having a bad day, even five minutes with a little Casey was a guaranteed mood changer.

After he’d seen Gallo and Ritter out, Matt made his way into the living room to find Sylvie tidying up a little. She soon spotted him and smiled as he began to help her.

“You know, I always had this image of my home.” Sylvie began as she set Annie’s stuffed animals back in the armchair they always perched upon. “It would be so perfectly put together and organised and not a thing would be out of place. But this mess? _This_ chaos? This is ten times better than what I’d imagined.” She said with a grin. She knew from the mess that her kids had the best time tonight and that was all she could ask for. The mess could be tidied, but the memories would always remain.

“Yeah Gallo was telling them a pretty epic story when I went upstairs.” Matt told her, unable to hide the smirk on his face.

“What was it about?”

“Well Annie wanted a romance story and Jack and Elliot wanted an action story...”

Sylvie chuckled, “Sounds about right, Annie’s already a hopeless romantic.”

“Just like her mom.” Matt replied as Sylvie shrugged knowingly. “So Gallo told them the story of a brave firefighter and his great love – a warrior paramedic.” He said as Sylvie smiled knowingly.

“What about them?”

“Apparently this firefighter once jumped out of a moving vehicle for her.” He said with a sense of sarcastic shock in his voice.

Sylvie quirked a brow, “Really? Sounds pretty reckless.”

Matt shrugged, “Maybe – but I think he’d do the exact same thing all over again if he had to.”

Sylvie stopped tidying and walked towards her husband, her hands delicately holding his neck as she leaned up and softly kissed him. “I love you.” She said quietly as she rested her forehead against his. She remembered his actions like it was yesterday and they still made her heart beat that little bit faster. “My brave firefighter” she said with a wink as Matt chuckled.

“I love you too my warrior paramedic.”


	76. Walkers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Annie gets close to walking, Matt and Sylvie reminisce about the first time Elliot started walking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some Casey family fluff because a few of us are in our feels today... I hope you enjoy it!

**Walkers**

“I just think that he’s horribly misunderstood.” Matt grumbled as he sat slouched on the couch, staring at the TV screen in front of him. “He is following his basic instincts, his basic _need_ for survival and what? He’s _attacked_ for it?” he questioned incredulously. “I’ll never understand… _Jerry_ is the villain here. _Not_ Tom. _Right_?”

Matt looked down at his one-year-old daughter who was sitting in the corner of the couch, minding her business as she drank her milk. It was a Sunday morning and Sundays not on shift were the Caseys’ favourite day of the week. Their lives were normally so busy and chaotic between work and school and extra activities that Sunday was the one day they all got to take a breath. It was normally spent making pancakes or waffles for breakfast, watching cartoons and staying in their pyjamas all day long.

The one thing Matt loved doing most on this day was cuddling his kids. Although he didn’t like to think about it, he knew that every morning he said goodbye to them to go to shift could be the last time he would see them. It was a haunting reality, so any opportunity to just hold them close, he took.

Matt continued to stare at Annie with furrowed brows, waiting for the assessment on _Tom and Jerry_ he was never going to get. Instead, Annie finished off her bottle and held it out to her dad, her two little baby teeth on show as she grinned proudly at him.

Matt raised his eyebrows, “You downed that pretty fast.”

“My baby’s a _monster_ ” Sylvie said as she surprised Annie, leaning over the back of the sofa and blowing raspberries against the little girl’s cheek causing her to giggle hysterically.

“Da – da – dad!” Annie said through her giggles, calling for Matt to rescue her as she rolled onto her back.

“Oh, you want dad to join too? Ok” he said as he started blowing raspberries on her other cheek, causing her to squeal at the hilarity of it all.

 _“Mom!”_ they heard Jack shout from the kitchen over Annie’s giggles _. “Can we start yet?”_ he asked as Sylvie and Matt pulled back, allowing Annie to catch her breath, though her little giggles continued as she did so. She was the happiest little baby and brought her family so much joy.

“Pancake time?” Matt asked as he stood from the sofa and watched Annie climb down.

“Yeah, that’s why I was coming to get you, the boys are getting impatient but they said it’s not worth starting without you because you know exactly the right time to flip them in the pan.” Sylvie confirmed, her own grin covering her face from their antics with Annie.

Matt chuckled, “I’ll be right there.”

Sylvie went back into the kitchen and Matt looked down at Annie, watching as she gripped onto the couch and moved her little feet along. She was so close to walking without any support and Matt wondered whether this might actually be it.

Matt looked at her eagerly as she was about to leave the couch, but just as she was about to let go, she looked up at Matt, held up her little hand and whined for him to take it.

Matt sighed, “I guess today isn’t the day for walking huh?” he said as he walked forward and reached out his index finger, allowing her to take it and drag him along into the kitchen behind her.

They made it into the kitchen a few moments later and Sylvie smirked at them, “How’s your back?” she joked, knowing that it had been killing him recently from hunching over so much. Annie loved chasing her brothers around the living room while Matt held onto her hands – Matt’s back on the other hand, did not.

Matt grimaced at her as he scooped Annie up and went to inspect the pancake making. Jack and Elliot were standing on chairs by the stove, spatulas in hand, ready to flip their pancakes when Matt said it was time.

“The key is to wait until the bubbles in the pancakes start forming holes. Then you’re ready to flip.” He told them as they nodded seriously. They were determined to perfect their pancake making skills.

A few minutes later, Elliot gasped in excitement, “Dad, I see the holes!”

“Go for it bud, flip it” Matt told him as he held onto the handle of Elliot’s pan to steady it.

“Watch the stove, it’s very hot” Sylvie warned as she took control of Jack’s pan – if either of the boys were going to have a disaster it would most likely be their eldest twin.

They flipped their pancakes right on time and they were the perfect golden-brown colour.

“We did it!” Jack said triumphantly as he accidently smacked Sylvie on the cheek with his spatula. “Oops… sorry momma” he said with a little laugh.

Sylvie took the spatula off him and lifted him off the chair, “It’s ok, go sit up and I’ll bring these over” she said with a laugh as he dashed over to the table.

Matt set Annie down on the ground just as Elliot hoped off the chair and held out his hand for his little sister, helping her walk across the kitchen. Matt turned back to the stove to prepare some pancakes for himself and Sylvie while Sylvie dished up Jack and Elliot’s.

“She’s so close to walking, I think today could be the day.” Sylvie said as she briefly glanced back at her kids. “Do you remember when Jack and Elliot started to walk?”

Matt smirked, “I’m amazed either of them walked again after the complete _scene_ we made…”

_** Three years ago **_

It was the morning after shift and Matt was exhausted. 51 had attended a fire scene with House 20, and while they were on significantly better terms now than they were a few years ago, there were still a few gelling issues. Mainly, a rogue new candidate 20 had that couldn’t seem to follow instructions. The kid ended up needed ten stitches at Med and extra oxygen because of his disobedience.

Matt tried to keep his cool about it. Gallo had been in a similar position not that long ago and Matt had trained him into a great firefighter who learned the difference between necessary risks and outright recklessness. But this guy – Casey wasn’t convinced he’d ever learn the difference. When he and Delaney called him out on it, he immediately jumped to defend himself and backchat his superior officers. Someone who wasn’t willing to learn was not someone who should be in the fire service.

Sylvie had gone home ahead of him because of the extra-long report he needed to fill out which made him even grumpier about the whole thing. After a long shift, he just wanted to get home to his boys for naps and cartoons.

When he finally left 51, he sulked into their house, throwing his stuff at his feet before making his way into the living room. He froze when he saw Sylvie standing looking down at Jack and Elliot with her hands on her hips. He watched as Jack ran backwards and forwards in his new trainers, smiling away to himself. He’d started walking a few weeks ago and although he was still a little wobbly, he insisted on walking anywhere and everywhere. So when he and Elliot got their new little trainers, he always had to be wearing them, even if he was only walking around their living room.

But Elliot – he remained firmly planted on his behind. He didn’t seem to be remotely interested in walking. He was fine sitting and crawling and ignoring his brother as he whizzed around him. Matt and Sylvie hadn’t thought much of it. They knew he would get there in his own time, but Sylvie looked concerned as she looked at them right now.

“… you ok?” Matt asked as he walked towards them.

Sylvie sighed, keeping her eyes firmly planted on Jack and Elliot. “Maybe we should be worried. I mean – I know toddlers walk when they’re ready but shouldn’t Elliot be at least _intrigued_ by what Jack’s doing? He doesn’t even try to pull himself up anymore, he just not interested…”

Matt sat down in front of Elliot to greet him, the little boy’s three-toothed grin already making his mood a little better. “Kids work at their own pace. Jack’s only got 1 tooth, Elliot has three. Elliot crawled first, Jack had solids first. Elliot will get to the walking thing.” He assured her.

Sylvie sighed and sat down beside them, “Yeah, you’re right.” She ran her hand through Elliot’s fair hair before looking up at Matt. He was glumly watching Jack as he wobbled around the living room, totally oblivious to anything around him but his steps.

Sylvie rested her hand on top of Matt’s grabbing his attention, “You ok?” she asked quietly.

“Just thinking about that candidate over at 20.” He grumbled. “I always had such high hopes for the future of the CFD, but those hopes were scampered today. He was just so reckless and unwilling to learn and I don’t know if I handled it well.” He confessed.

“You handled it exactly how you should have handled it.” Sylvie assured him. She hated that Matt always doubted himself. He was always so quick to assume that things were his fault. He’d basically been raised to think that way. Sylvie now considered it a privilege to make him see the goodness in him – he deserved to have the confidence and assurance of the people who loved him most in this world. “You remained calm at the scene, you did your job and them afterwards you reprimanded him, made sure he knew exactly where he went wrong and let Boden know. What else could you have done?”

Matt sighed and ran a hand down his face, “I don’t know… I don’t know why it’s bothering me so much.”

Sylvie smiled softly at him, “You have carried the weight of the world on your shoulders since the moment I met you Matt Casey. Especially over things that aren’t your fault. He’s a kid, he has a lot to learn and you can be assured that there are great officers out there willing and ready to train him. Just think about Ritter or Gallo at the beginning. They had so much to learn – but now the older generation of firefighters is starting to learn from them. You are a good captain Matt. The best of the best. The CFD is lucky to have you.”

 _“I’m_ lucky to have _you._ ” He said without missing a beat, his thumb affectionately running over her hand. She was always on hand to remind him of the good that he does and to lift his spirits when needed.

Sylvie smiled at him before turning back to look at Elliot – but he wasn’t in the spot he was a few minutes ago. She frowned and looked up, spotting him at the opposite end of the room, standing up on his own.

 _“Oh my god Matt_.” She said in a whisper as she squeezed his arm. He looked up, his own face falling when he spotted Elliot. “He’s standing up, on his own, and not falling down. Oh my _god,_ this is it!” she said as she excitedly jumped to her feet, dragging Matt with her. In the midst of their talk they hadn’t even noticed he’d gotten away from them and stood up by himself. “Come on baby, you can do it, walk to momma!” she said with a wide smile as she held out her arms. She smacked Matt lightly on the chest. “Matt, get your phone.”

“I don’t have my—”

“Matt, he’s doing it, he’s walking!” she squealed as Elliot started stumbling towards them. “Matt, camera!” she shouted as she shoved him, causing him to stumble slightly and smack his foot off the coffee table.

 _“Dammit Sylvie_!” he exclaimed as he grabbed his foot, all while trying to keep his eyes on Elliot as he walked.

“Oh honey I’m sorry!” she apologised quickly.

“Yeah, that’s going to bruise…”

Elliot’s eyes widened at Sylvie’s excitement and Matt’s screwed up face and froze where he was. Sylvie’s face fell as she saw panic rise on Elliot’s.

“Oh, it’s ok honey, keep going, you can keep going!” she encouraged. Elliot looked like he was contemplating moving, but before he could, Jack came racing past in his normal unsteady fashion and knocked Elliot right off his feet.

“Oh my god, he’s never going to walk again! We scared him off! All three of us!” Sylvie whined as she rushed forward and lifted Elliot into her arms.

“He’ll be fine…” Matt insisted as he hobbled to the couch and sat down.

Sylvie smiled as she playfully cradled Elliot like a little baby, “I don’t even care. My baby walked today, I am so proud of you!” She said as she smothered Elliot with kisses, much to the glee of the little boy.

Matt watched the scene in front of him. It was one thing seeing Elliot walk for the first time, it was another thing seeing the excitement radiate through Sylvie. His heart skipped a beat as she continued to smother kisses all over Elliot while Jack giggled and smooshed himself into his brother and mom, not wanting to miss out on the fun. She was the best mom in the world and it was one of the greatest joys getting to parent alongside her. He was in total awe of what she did for him everyday as his wife and the joy she extended to all three of her boys made his heart soar to immeasurable heights.

How did he get so lucky to be able to call her his wife and the mother of his children?

***  
  
Matt stopped making his pancakes as he reminisced. He wrapped his arms around Sylvie’s shoulders from behind and kissed down her jaw before resting his lips by her ear.

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re the best mom in the world?” he asked her as he felt her smile against his cheek.

“Even when I scare my son out of walking?” she jokingly asked.

Matt chuckled, “He started up again in three weeks, it was a minor blip.”

 _“Mom, dad, look, look!_ ” they suddenly heard Elliot exclaim as they turned around to see what the fuss was about. They walked around the kitchen island and froze when they saw Annie standing up all by herself. “She’s doing it, she’s going to walk!”

“Nobody scare her!” Sylvie immediately exclaimed as the boys frowned in confusion. “Matt go stand over there, give her something to walk to.” She insisted as Matt immediately crouched down in front of Annie and held out his arms.

“Come on baby, walk to dada” He encouraged. Annie grinned at him, holding her arms out in his direction, before she put one foot in front of the other and stumbled towards him.

“You’re doing it Annie, you’re doing it!” Jack exclaimed excitedly as he and Elliot watched from the side lines.

Annie made it about halfway towards her parents before she stopped and looked around at the four sets of eyes on her. Normally, she revelled in the attention she was given, but this was a little off putting. She didn't see why what she was doing was so special.

Jack frowned, “ _Oh no_. She’s going to stop. She can’t stop!” he said as he moved towards her. “Maybe if we just give her a little push?” he suggested as he gently shoved his sister, causing her to wobble – and fall flat on her butt before bursting into tears. Jack’s eyes widened, “woops…”

Matt stood up and scooped Annie into his arms, cuddling her close and rubbing her back to soothing her tears. He smiled amusedly at Sylvie over the whole thing. Of _course_ Jack was the one to make both Elliot and Annie fall over.

“This was a big day for you, huh baby?” he asked Annie as he kissed her cheek repeatedly, immediately cheering her up. If there was one thing the little Caseys loved it was hugs and kisses from their two favourite people in the world.

“I’m sorry Annie!” Jack announced as he stood on a chair and kissed Annie himself. Elliot also wanted in on the fun and stood beside Jack, clambering all over Matt to make his sister smile again.

Sylvie stood back and watched with glee as their babies hung all over Matt, giggling with each other. She couldn’t love the four of them more if she tried. Seeing the way their kids constantly beamed at Matt and looked at him like he hung the stars confirmed what she’d always known - if she was a great mother, then Matt Casey was one _hell_ of a father.

Boy were they lucky that they got to do this parenting thing together.


	77. How Love Should Be

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack, Elliot and Annie get into trouble and Elliot seeks some advice from Matt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I had one very minor thing I wanted to write about and the chapter just spiralled into this. We haven't seen the teenage Casey kids in a while, so this was a fun one to get into. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it!

**How Love Should Be**

It was a cold Saturday night in Chicago and 51 were huddled in the lounge, praying that they wouldn’t be called out in this weather. Night-time calls were the _worst_ – especially in the dead of winter. In a bid to cheer everybody up, Sylvie had made her famous hot cocoa and cookies (and it worked wonders).

Whenever her kids were sad, she always did this for them. They _loved_ it – even now when they were teenagers. There was very little cocoa, a cookie and a talk with their mom couldn’t fix. Which was why when they sulked into 51 that evening, at the request of their parents, their mood was instantly lifted at the smell of the chocolatey treats.

“Is that—” Jack began.

“Cocoa and cookies?” Elliot asked, finishing his brother’s sentence.

Annie’s eyes widened as she spotted Sylvie lifting a tray out of the oven. “Momma, you are the _best_!” she exclaimed as they rushed forward but Sylvie immediately held up her finger.

 _“AH!”_ she warned as they suddenly stopped in their treks and cowered over their mom’s glare. “You don’t get to touch the cookies until you do what you came here to do.” She warned them as they turned around and sulked.

The rest of 51 frowned. “What do you have to do?” Gallo asked curiously.

“A better question would be what _don’t_ we have to do.” Elliot replied with a sigh.

“Wash the rigs, clear the drains, clean the bathrooms, do the laundry, clean the kitchen.” Annie rhymed off.

“Pretty sure dad also has some filing that needs done.” Jack added. “But that’s probably safer in Annie’s hands…” He said with a grimace. Annie was as meticulous as Sylvie was about this kind of thing – the thought of organising Matt’s paperwork kind of excited her. He’d have a very efficient system in no time, and a part of her was offended that he hadn’t asked sooner.

But these tasks weren’t being done as a favour. Oh _no._ They were a _punishment_. The three teens had protested until they were _blue_ in the face about it. They claimed that the punishment did _not_ fit their crimes, but Matt and Sylvie refused to budge. They never did when it came to disciplining their kids.

“What did you do?” Ritter asked in disdain. It must have been bad if their parents were treating them like candidates and forcing them to spend their Saturday night here.

“Annie broke curfew on a school night.” Jack began. Annie scoffed and slapped his arm. It was true, but what about the rest of it?!

“Jack drove dad’s car into the garage door after dad told him he couldn’t take the car out in the first place.” Annie quickly added as Jack let out a huff of breath. It was only a 5-minute drive to his girlfriend's house, he really didn’t think it would do _that_ much harm…

Stella turned in her chair and raised her eyebrows at Elliot, “And what about you?”

Elliot stood stiffer and clenched his jaw. He wasn’t proud of what he did, so he was really in no mood to confess. Jack on the other hand – he had no bother rating his brother out.

“Elliot punched a guy at school. For being a douche to Sloane.” He said with a smirk. Honestly, he was kind of _proud_ of his brother. He was normally so level-headed, but the moment someone bothered Sloane – he was right there in full protective mode.

“It was a minor punch; it barely bruised the guy…” Elliot mumbled in defence.

“But you still did it… _why_ did you do it Elliot?” Annie asked with a knowing smirk that was identical to Jack’s. Elliot was a straight A student and never caused a problem in school. But as soon as someone started messing with Sloane, he was prepared to put that reputation on the line.

Elliot remained silent. Much like Matt, he didn’t particularly like when his personal feelings were showcased in front of people – unfortunately, the Casey siblings _loved_ to embarrass each other.

Jack took Elliot’s silence as an opportunity to answer for him; “Because he has a big ass _crush_ on her and is too scared to do anything about it.”

“No I don’t, she’s my friend.” Elliot immediately defended. He and Sloane had been good friends since the beginning of high school and the thought of that changing terrified him.

“All the best relationships start out from a point of friendship honey.” Sylvie piped up. She and Matt were case and point of that one. Their relationship thrived because they had the foundation of a strong friendship.

“Mom – don’t encourage him.” Elliot said, his eyes pleading with her to back him up with this one. Having all these eyes on him analysing his love life was _horrifying_. As much as he loved their 51 family, it sometimes did feel like having 10 sets of parents.

“Elliot if you really want this Sloane thing to work out, you need to work on your game. Seriously, I back you every step of the way but – you’re a total _dork_.” Jack advised. He would forever fight in his brother’s corner, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t tease and push him a little. He was convinced it was good for him. Jack taught Elliot how to have a little more confidence, Elliot taught Jack how to use his intelligence for good and to be a little more modest.

Cruz scrunched up his face, “You’re kidding right? You’re _Caseys_. Something tells me getting girls isn’t a problem.” Jack and Elliot were incredibly handsome boys - which wasn't surprising considering who their parents were - so everybody at 51 found it hard to believe that dating was an issue.

“Uncle Joe is right” Annie piped up. “I’m not even at the same school as you and everybody is always talking about how hot the Casey brothers are and how every girl is tripping over themselves to date them. It’s _gross_.” she said with a shiver. The _last_ thing she wanted to hear was all of her friends talking about the big ass crushes they had on her brothers. They practically melted any time they were at the Casey's and Jack or Elliot so much as looked in their general direction. But to Annie, they were just her brothers; she’d seen them at their worst and she really needed her friends to get it together.

“It’s not his game that has girls swooning, it’s that _smirk_ and those intense green eyes. He just has this solemn look that sucks people in.” Jack explained as Sylvie scoffed – _like father like son._ “But if he wants to actually _keep_ a girl, he’s going to need to find a way to be charming.”

“Speaking as someone who has no game...” they heard a voice from the entrance to the lounge say as they turned around and spied Matt. “I think I did pretty well without it.” he said with a proud smirk as he walked towards his wife and kissed her cheek.

“You were a total bumbler at the beginning.” Sylvie said with a little laugh – but she _couldn’t_ love that bumbling more. It was just so _Matt_. “And charm isn’t everything Elliot, it matters to be a good, kind, grounded person and if Sloane can’t see that in you then that is her loss.” Sylvie assured him in typical mom fashion.

Jack pursed his lips before turning to Elliot, “Maybe there is hope for you after all. If dad can do it, so can you.”

Elliot rolled his eyes and shoved Jack lightly.

“Why haven’t you three started your chores yet?” Matt asked seriously.

“Daddy...” Annie whined as she rushed forward and hugged her dad around the waist. “How could we _possibly_ do chores when there is hot cocoa and cookies sitting right here?! And our 51 family. This is the perfect bonding opportunity.”

Matt looked at Sylvie who was glaring deeply at him. Annie had Matt wrapped around her finger – she _always_ had. It didn’t take much for him to give in to his daughter – but Sylvie’s glare read ‘don’t you _dare_ let them away with this’ and Matt knew better than to test it. He knew he needed to stand firm.

“The cookies, cocoa and bonding can wait till you’re finished” he said as he kissed her head, trying to soften the blow.

“If you get everything done to an acceptable standard, we could have a little 51 game night?” Sylvie suggested.

“Yes!” the Caseys agreed enthusiastically.

“ _NO!”_ the rest of 51 responded without missing a beat.

The Casey’s simultaneously frowned at the outburst. Why wouldn’t they want to have a game night? Game nights were the best! They _loved_ games. And there was also the fact that they always won – no matter the game. From a young age, Matt and Sylvie had instilled a love of games in their kids, and that love had stuck with them ever since.

“Why not?” Sylvie asked with a pout.

51 looked around the room at each other, wondering who would be brave enough to confess. Eventually, Stella stood from her seat and walked towards the 5 Caseys.

“We love games. We are _big_ fans of games… but with the five of you? There’s just no way.” She told them with a tight-lipped smile.

“I feel like there’s a veiled insult somewhere in there…” Jack grumbled as he tried to work out what the issue was.

“You’re ridiculously competitive ok?” Gallo blurted out. “And you _always_ win, it’s no fun when you know you’re going to lose!”

“It's crazy, you’re so good at reading each other.” Mackey added in. The moment she knew there was a real spark between Brett and Casey was when she saw how seamlessly they could read each other over a game of charades.

“Gallo – it is not our fault that we are _elite_ game players.” Annie said seriously. “Just don’t ask dad to do any kind of accent or mimicking – it’s really terrible.” She said with a grimace.

“That’s mean.” Matt mumbled. He knew it was true but that didn’t mean he needed his daughter to remind him. Then again, he kind of liked being reminded – some of the funniest evenings he’d spent with his family were over _Heads Up_ and _terrible_ accents.

“Elite or not – it’s a no.” Ritter made clear as he swiped another cookie.

“Aren’t you three in trouble anyway? Surely doing one of your favourite things defeats the purpose of being made to spend your Saturday night here as a punishment.” Severide pointed out.

Jack, Elliot and Annie smiled sweetly at their parents, hoping Severide hadn’t just ruined their chances of having a good evening.

“… get to work.” Matt said as they groaned and sulked out of the lounge.

It was going to be a _long_ night.

* * *

By the time Jack, Elliot and Annie were finished with their tasks, most of the house had gone into the bunk room to get some rest. They were rarely in the firehouse when it was so quiet, so there was a slightly eerie feel to the place.

While Jack and Annie finally divulged in some cocoa and cookies with Sylvie, Elliot quietly made his way through the house to Matt’s office. When he got to the door, he found his dad rummaging through his filing cabinet mumbling to himself.

“You ok?” he asked as he lightly knocked on the door frame.

Matt sighed, “Yeah. I appreciate Annie organising these files, god knows they needed it but – I never understood your mom’s system and now Annie has applied it here... I can’t find a _thing._ ”

Elliot chuckled as he walked further into the room and sat in one of the chairs opposite his desk. “I guess you’ll think before you punish us next time.”

“I guess so.” Matt said as he gave up his search and sat back at his desk. “But then again, if it was a difficult enough punishment that you won’t go around punching people anymore…”

Elliot pursed his lips together and nodded his head, “I lost my temper, and it wasn’t cool.”

Matt leaned forward in his chair. Elliot was normally so level-headed. The last time he lost his temper like this, a kid in his class told him his grandma murdered his grandpa. Maybe Jack and Annie weren’t entirely wrong about Elliot’s feelings for Sloane after all. It seemed like the only logical explanation as to why he would lose his cool like that.

“Well, when you have big feelings for someone, sometimes all rational thought goes out the window. All you want to do is protect them, no matter the cost.” Matt reasoned.

Elliot smirked, “Like jumping out of a moving fire truck?”

Matt smirked right back, “Like jumping out of a moving fire truck.” That was a move he would make 100 times over if he had to.

Elliot thought about denying any and all feelings he had for Sloane again – but this was his dad he was talking to. He had no reason to tease, no reason to take a jab. He would just be his _dad._ His wise, reliable, loving dad. Besides that, if anyone was going to understand the feelings Elliot had for his friend – it was Matt. He had fallen in love with his best friend after all.

“How did you do it?” Elliot suddenly asked.

“Do what?”

“You have no game. Yet you managed to get someone as amazing as mom to fall in love with you.” Elliot stated.

Matt let out a short, breathy laugh, “maybe the question you should be asking is how did your _mom_ get _me_ to fall in love with _her_?” he joked. Falling in love with Sylvie was the easiest thing in the world – but he knew his question would have been Sylvie’s response. Neither of them could ever quite believe that they had the other person.

Elliot smiled, “Maybe... but everybody says how alike you and I are. Our expressions, our mannerisms, our temperaments. And if that’s true – maybe there is a way to get Sloane to like me. Despite my apparent dorkiness. I mean, _you_ did it.”

Matt opened his mouth to protest. Was it really that shocking that Sylvie fell in love with him? To his kids it was anyway, and in a way, he got it. He’d spent so much of his life believing that he wasn’t worthy of the extent of love Sylvie showed him everyday, yet here he was, 20 odd years later, feeling more loved than ever before. A day hadn't gone by where he doubted how his wife felt about him.

And he didn’t get that love by _having_ ‘game’ or _playing_ a ‘game’. They _earned_ each other’s love because of what was in their hearts. They saw each other for all that they were. They saw all of the good and they knew it was something worth fighting for, for the rest of their lives.

“This idea of someone having game – I know it’s meant in a tongue and cheek way, but it implies that love is something to be won. That a _person_ is someone to be won. But that’s not fair. Mom and I didn’t _win_ each other, we _chose_ each other. We _still_ choose each other. She didn’t choose me because I was smooth or had a way with words. She chose me for who I was. She saw my heart, she saw my flaws and she loved each and every part of me because it made her want to be better – and that’s exactly how I love her too.” Matt explained. Words had never been his strong suit, but when he had something important to say, he somehow always managed to find the right ones. “It’s based on the most solid foundation of friendship and respect and 20 years later, when she walks into the room there’s a little flutter in my chest that I know will never go away.”

“So basically… just be yourself. That’s your advice.”

“As cliché and simple as it may sound? _Yeah._ Two people that are meant to be together always find their way in the end.” Matt reasoned. “And Elliot – it took me a long time to find what I had with your mom. You’re 17. Maybe Sloane is your Sylvie Brett and maybe she isn’t. But teenage love or adult love – it’s all worth running after as long as you know that you're running towards something good.”

Elliot smiled, “Who knew you were such a romantic?” 

“Admittedly a bit of a hopeless romantic.” Matt confessed.

“Well so is mom. A match made in heaven.”

“I guess so.” Matt said with a certain nod. She was his perfect match and he was so grateful that he found her. 

“Thanks for the advice Chief.” Elliot joked as he walked towards the door. He put his hand on the door handle and stopped to say one last thing. “I hope I’m lucky enough to find what you and mom have one day.”

Sloane hadn’t been the one for Elliot. They dated for a few months, but Elliot knew that it wasn’t meant to be. He knew what love was supposed to be. He saw it in his parents everyday. He knew when the right person came along the flutter in his chest would never disappear.

And he was right. Ten years later he met the woman who soon became his wife and nothing felt more right. As soon as Matt and Sylvie met her they knew it too. They knew because Elliot didn’t have to charm her, he didn’t have to be smooth – he was just himself. His good, noble, sweet, compassionate self.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a total sucker for Brett and Casey telling their kids how love should be - I've done it a few times in this story! I just love the idea that they're an example to look up to. Not perfect, but an example of a good, solid, incredibly loving relationship. It's a great thing they can give to their kids!


	78. Crazy Christmas Hormones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While dealing with her pregnancy hormones, Sylvie and Matt travel to Fowlerton for Christmas as they prepare to tell Sylvie's parents about the pregnancy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A post-Christmas Christmas chapter! Time for some emotions courtesy of Sylvie's pregnancy hormones and Martha Brett. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

_“You ok?”_

Sylvie’s head snapped round as she turned to look at her husband, his brows furrowed as he briefly glanced at her before focusing his attention back on the road. It was Christmas Day, and Sylvie and Matt were on their way to Fowlerton to spend the holidays with Sylvie’s family. They’d come straight from shift, so they were tired, but excited to see the Bretts. Sylvie’s extended family had decided to take a vacation this Christmas, and as much as Sylvie enjoyed her crazy family Christmases, she was glad that this year it would just be her parents and Tom. A quiet Christmas was just what she needed – especially when they were arriving with big news to share.

Sylvie nodded at Matt’s question, “Yeah, fine.”

“Ok… you’ve just barely said a word since we left Chicago.” He observed. Sylvie normally talked up a _storm_ whenever they visited Fowlerton. Every time they went, she managed to produce a new story he’d never heard before about her life in the small town and he loved it. The stories always turned into reasons why he loved her so much.

Sylvie thought about insisting she was fine, but she knew it wouldn’t make her feel better – and she knew Matt wouldn't buy it. He sometimes knew her better than she knew herself and he would see through any kind of front she put up.

“I guess I am a little nervous.” She confessed quietly.

“If you’re worried about bumping into anybody, we can just stay at your parent’s place. We don’t have to go into town.” Matt suggested, figuring she was nervous about potentially seeing Harrison or Hope or Kyle. They were only in town until Boxing Day afternoon anyway, so he really didn't mind sticking around the house.

Sylvie shook her head, “No it’s not that. It’s just – we have to tell my parents about the babies.” Sylvie was around 8 weeks along and they’d only just found out they were having twins. They were still trying to process it and it seemed that adding Martha and Peter Brett to the mix was heightening Sylvie’s anxiety.

Matt gave her a quick, curious glance. “Yeah, we do… you don't think they'll be excited about it?” he asked. Martha was always dropping not so subtle hints - that Sylvie _gracefully_ tolerated - about how _wonderful_ it would be to _finally_ become a grandmother. Now, she was about to hit the jackpot with not one but _two_ grandchildren – Matt knew she would be thrilled, so what was Sylvie worried about?

“No, they will be, _especially_ mom, I just – my mom can be a little _overbearing_. She’s going to want to be involved in every step of this pregnancy and I love how caring she is, I’m just worried it’s going to get a little much.” Sylvie told him. She was anxious enough about making sure she was doing everything right to keep herself and the babies healthy, she didn't need her mom hovering and making her panic that she was doing things wrong.

Matt silently nodded his head. He loved Martha. She was the best mother-in-law he could ask for. She welcomed him with open arms into their family and was quite frankly more of a mother to him now than Nancy had ever been – but he understood where Sylvie was coming from. Martha was a total mother hen. Any time her kids were home, she coddled them beyond belief - and it was often a lot to deal with.

“I mean I get that she wants me to be safe, especially with the job that we do, but I can look after myself. I think she has a hard time accepting that.” Sylvie explained further. Naturally, she always looked for the good in what her mother did for her, and she really could not ask for a more loving mom, but she had a feeling this was about to be a whole other level of care that she would find suffocating.

“It’s funny.” Matt began as Sylvie turned her head to look at him. “Your mom will probably have an over-the-top reaction, and I ended up telling my mom over a voicemail when she didn’t pick up after _five_ calls – and she _still_ hasn’t returned it.” He said with a little scoff. It didn’t bother him the way Nancy came and went from their lives – he knew it was probably for the best – but a phone call to at least _acknowledge_ this news would have been nice. The only reason he knew she was ok was from the photographs she posted of herself online at the beach last week.

Sylvie smirked, “if only they could both be somewhere in the middle.”

A few minutes later Matt and Sylvie pulled into Bretts long drive that led to their farmhouse. Matt parked just behind Tom’s car and turned to look at Sylvie.

“Your mom may get a little over excited today, but it’s because she cares. No matter what, we should remember that. But if you do get overwhelmed, I’ve got you. Always.” He assured her as he lifted her hand to his lips and quickly kissed the back of it. No matter the situation, he would always support her and back her in situations she found testing.

Sylvie smiled softly at him as she tried to keep the tears that had formed in her eyes from falling. _Damn hormones._ All Matt had to do was say he loved her and it set her off.

“Thank you” she said in a squeaky, quiet voice as she bit her lip. Matt couldn’t help but laugh a little as she tried to fight her tears. Her hormones had been wrecking _havoc_ with her emotions over the last couple of weeks leading to some humorous situations. A few days ago, Sylvie had been sitting on the couch at 51 when Tuesday came and snuggled into her side, resting her nose on Sylvie’s lap – naturally Sylvie burst into tears, exclaiming that she was ‘just the sweetest doggie in the world’ and she ‘hoped her children showed her the same amount of affection.’ _The Lion King_ meltdown had been the one that produced the _most_ tears. Sylvie was watching the cartoon with Amelia a few weeks ago and Matt watched as she swiftly left the room when Simba was climbing over Mufasa’s body, begging for him to wake up. Matt made sure Amelia was ok before following Sylvie into the bedroom.

_“All he wanted was his dad to be ok and now he’s going to blame himself for the rest of his life!” Sylvie exclaimed as she cried hysterically. “And the bit at the start where they hold Simba in the air?”_

_“The Circle of Life?”_

_“It’s so beautiful. I hope our baby never has to beg you to wake up.”_

_“Oh uh… me too?”_

He really didn’t know what to say to that one.

Matt smirked at the memory before taking his keys out of the ignition. “Come on, your mom is probably staring at us through the window” he said as she nodded, took a breath to compose herself and stepped out of the car ahead of him.

“Sylvie, honey, Merry Christmas!” Martha called from the door almost as soon as Sylvie shut hers. Guess Matt had been right about the window.

“Merry Christmas mom!” Sylvie greeted happily. Instantly she felt her nerves settle at the sight of her mom. She always brought an instant wave of calm over her. Maybe being mothered for a few days wasn’t such a bad thing… especially when she’d been puking her guts up for the past few weeks.

“Oh my girl, it is so good to see you” Martha said as she hugged her daughter tightly. Sylvie melted into the hug – that was until Martha started squeezing her shoulders between her finger tips and then her arms.

“What are you doing?” Sylvie asked slowly.

Martha pulled back and eyed her daughter curiously, “You feel different.”

Sylvie raised her eyebrows just as Matt came up behind her with their bags. “Different?”

“ _Yes_. Something is different about you.” Martha said as she narrowed her eyes at her daughter.

Sylvie quickly flashed Matt a wide-eyed glance as he bit his lip to stop himself from smirking. Maybe Martha would work out that Sylvie was pregnant before they even had to tell them.

Martha’s curiosity faded as she shook her head and waved her hand in front of her, “I’m just being silly, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you, that’s all. Matt, hi” she greeted with a wide smile as she hugged her son-in-law tightly. Just like Matt saw Martha as a mother, Martha gladly viewed Matt as a second son. She was elated to have someone like him in their lives. “Now, _you_ feel exactly the same… so it’s just you Sylvie.” She said, allowing herself to get curious again as she eyed Sylvie up and down. “But never mind. Come inside, you’ll freeze out here.” Martha quickly insisted as she pushed them inside.

Sylvie stopped suddenly once she walked through the doorway, causing Matt to almost stumble over her. He manoeuvred around her and set their bags down before turning to face her. She was biting her lip and her eyes were watery.

Matt’s face fell, “… what is it?” he asked quietly as Martha hollered up the stairs at Tom to come and greet his sister.

Sylvie gulped, “This house – it smells like my childhood.” She said as Matt’s face turned from worry to confusion.

“O…k?” he asked, wondering why that warranted tears. Then again, when were Sylvie’s pregnancy induced emotions _ever_ rational? Last week, she started crying after Matt laughed at something on the television because he ‘had the best laugh and she wished he laughed more often.’ She was _hysterical_ about it.

“It’s just – our babies are going to associate a smell with our home and I really hope it always brings them some comfort and they associate it with some really good memories.” Sylvie said as her voice quivered.

Matt smiled at her – he couldn’t help but find this one ridiculously sweet. “They definitely will.” He insisted.

Sylvie took a deep breath and stopped her tears from fully flowing just as Tom came barrelling down the stairs.

“Hey Syl—” he began as he reached out towards her, causing Sylvie to panic and hold out her hand to stop him.

“Don’t spin me around!” she warned as Tom froze just before he got to her. He always greeted her by lifting her up and spinning her around, but Sylvie wasn’t sure her stomach could handle that right now.

Tom pouted, “… you love our hugs.”

“I _do_ love our hugs—”

“Are you feeling ok sweetie?” Martha asked as she immediately put her hand to Sylvie’s forehead to check her temperature.

“I just – I’m feeling a little car sick.” Sylvie lied. “Wouldn’t want to throw up all over you.” Added with an awkward laugh.

Tom stopped pouting and crossed his arms over his chest, eyeing his sister up and down. “You don’t get travel sick.” He observed. Sylvie was definitely hiding something. He knew his sister well and she wasn’t about to get one over on him.

Sylvie shrugged, “It’s a new thing. No big deal.” She was honestly amazed that she hadn’t blurted out the truth yet, but she had something sweet planned for later. “Where’s dad?”

“He’s out in the barn, you can go say hi, your boots are by the back door. Yours too Matt.” Martha told them as she turned to go back into the kitchen. After Matt’s first Christmas with the Bretts, Martha and Peter bought him his own pair of wellington boots for the farm. It was an unofficial way of cementing him as a member of the Brett clan.

“You keep our boots by the door?” Sylvie asked softly.

“Of course I do. You’re family, you never know when you’ll need those boots!” Martha insisted with a little laugh. “Lunch will be ready in about an hour, when you’re out there tell your father to come inside and get cleaned up.”

“O – ok.” Sylvie replied. Matt and Tom watched as Sylvie bit her lip once more and closed her eyes in a bid to stop herself from crying.

“What is going on with you?” Tom asked incredulously.

“It’s just – mom keeps our boots by the door. It’s really sweet.” Sylvie said in a slightly squeaky voice.

“Right…” Tom said slowly. “I’m going to help mom with dinner… but I’m onto you Brett.”

Sylvie raised her brow, “Excuse me?”

“You’re hiding something.” Tom told her before he backed away into the kitchen.

“… I’m terrible at keeping secrets.” Sylvie whispered to Matt.

Matt comfortingly rubbed her back, “It’s not a secret you have to keep for much longer.”

“Right… our twins are going to have their own boots by the back door soon too.” Sylvie said as her eyes watered again.

Matt grinned against her temple before kissing it, “They sure are. Come on, let’s go find your dad.”

* * *

They managed to make it through dinner with only three instances that almost left Sylvie in tears. Firstly, she managed to burn some of the vegetables which led her to exclaim:

_“I can’t even keep a vegetable alive!”_

Which Matt knew was code for 'how am I supposed to keep two babies alive if I can’t even cook a vegetable right?' But naturally – Martha, Peter and Tom were incredibly confused.

Secondly, her dad had given a beautiful toast at the table about how lucky he felt to have his family here and how he couldn’t wait for many more dinners like this to come.

_“This is probably the last dinner we’ll have like this. There’s going to be two highchairs at the end of the table next year– it won’t be the five of us anymore.”_

Sylvie had whispered to Matt as he subtly tried to rub her back and calm her down to avoid any attention being sent their way as everybody filled their plates. It wasn’t that Sylvie wasn’t excited about adding two highchairs to the table, it was just that this was the end of an era and it was strange to think that this could be the last dinner they would have like this.

Thirdly, Martha had made some of Sylvie’s favourite mulled wine for after dessert – that Sylvie obviously had to decline. She felt so guilty and was half convinced that her mother probably resented her right now.

“How about we open presents now?” Matt had announced quickly when he saw Sylvie’s mulled wine tears form. He couldn’t handle this secrecy anymore, he needed some support as Sylvie dealt with her crazy Christmas pregnancy hormones.

“Sure, why not?” Martha agreed, a little surprised by Matt’s keenness to open the gifts.

A short while later, they were all gathered in the living room, Martha and Peter on one couch, Sylvie and Matt in another, while Tom sat comfortably on the rug by the fire.

“How about you kids go first?” Peter suggested. Just as Sylvie lifted a gift to open, Matt stopped her.

“No, I think Martha and Peter should go first.” He announced as everyone looked at him, the surprise evident on their faces again. “I mean – you’re our hosts and you cooked an amazing meal, the least we can do is let you have this moment now.” He bumbled. “Here” he said as he lifted a box up and handed it to Sylvie. It was then Sylvie realised what he was doing. He couldn’t keep this secret any longer either – and she knew it definitely had to do with her crazy tears…

She gave him a knowing, humorous glance before standing from the couch and handing her mom the delicately wrapped box. “Merry Christmas” she said with a little smile, the excitement in her overshadowing her anxiety about this moment.

“Thank you sweetie” Martha said gratefully as she took the book from her daughter. She carefully opened the card and slipped her reading classes on to read it.

“To Grandma and Grandp— _seriously_ Sylvie? We may be old but we’re not _that_ old.” Martha said with an eyeroll and Sylvie’s mouth fell open slightly. It wasn’t like Martha at all to not pick up on a hint. She _really_ just thought they were making an age joke?

Sylvie said nothing. Instead, she just watched as Martha set the card down and moved to unwrap the box. She then watched as the realisation dawned on her face and she lifted out a pair of white ceramic baby shoes.

“These are just like the baby shoes I painted for you and Tom when you were born.” Martha said quietly. Martha was an amazing artist and when Sylvie and Tom were babies, she painted beautiful ceramic shoes that she felt matched their little personalities. They still sat on their mantle piece today.

Martha looked back into the box and lifted out a second pair of shoes, remaining quiet as she processed the message she knew Sylvie and Matt were giving her with this gift.

“We were hoping that you could paint some shoes for our babies too.” Sylvie told her as she felt her emotions creep up again.

Martha lifted the last thing out of the box that lay under the shoes – a sonogram with the two little Caseys sitting in plain view. Martha took her turn to bite her lip as she looked up at her daughter and son-in-law.

“Sylvie… you’re having a baby?” she asked as her own eyes flooded with tears.

“Two actually. But yeah – _grandma_.” She emphasised again since the message wasn’t clear the first time.

“Oh my – you’re going to be parents?” Martha asked again, her hand clapping over her heart as her emotions took over.

Sylvie beamed widely, “Yeah. We are.”

“Oh my baby!” Martha exclaimed as she set her gift down, rushed forward and hugged Sylvie tightly. Sylvie held onto her mom, realising that the worry she had was about this moment was irrational. This was her _mom_ and seeing her reaction right now was _everything_. She could hear Peter and Tom congratulate Matt beside her and she knew this was a moment she would cherish for a long time.

Martha pulled back and gently rubbed her hands over Sylvie’s hair as she eyed her daughter like she hung the stars and the moon. “That’s why you’ve been so teary then huh? I remember those pregnancy hormones all too well.” She said as she and Sylvie both let out a little laugh.

“Yeah, they’re a killer…” Sylvie confessed as she gave Matt and apologetic glance. She felt bad that he’d had to deal with some truly irrational moments, but she also knew that he really didn’t mind. These moments were just more signs of the amazing thing Sylvie’s body was doing – and they gave him some great stories to tell...

“I _knew_ something was up with you” Tom proclaimed proudly as he pulled his sister in for a hug. “Congratulations sis. You guys are going to be the best parents.”

“Thanks Tommy” Sylvie affectionately called him.

As Sylvie turned to her father for a congratulatory hug, Martha took a step back and surveyed the scene in front of her, her own emotions starting to get the better of her.

“Excuse me a moment” she said as she left the room, causing Sylvie’s face to fall.

Just as Peter was about to go after her, Sylvie stopped him and went herself. She found Martha in the kitchen, clearing away some plates from the island.

“Mom… you ok?” Sylvie asked softly.

“Oh fine sweetie, I just think my emotions are getting the better of me. I didn’t want to take away from your moment.”

Sylvie smiled, “mom, we’ve had our ‘we’re having a baby’ moment. Twice actually." she said with a laugh. This is _your_ ‘my baby’s having two babies moment’. You’re allowed to be emotional.”

Martha sat down on one of the stools at the island, prompting Sylvie to follow and sit opposite her.

“I’m just so very happy for you two.” Martha told her. “Sylvie – you are the greatest blessing in my life. When your father and I found out we couldn’t have any more children, I was devastated for us. Somehow, our family just didn’t feel complete. And then you came into our lives and our whole world changed.” She said proudly. “We just knew from the moment we saw you that you were meant to be a Brett. I cannot wait to see you experience the joy I have experienced for over 30 years now. The joy of having your own children and watching them grow and thrive. And I know I coddle you and Tom sometimes…” she confessed as Sylvie let out a laugh. At least she had _some_ self-awareness. “But it’s because you are just so very precious to me. You’re a dream I almost didn’t get to have, so I’m going to make sure you are as safe and as happy as can be.” Martha said with a self-assured nod. “And you can be sure that I will make sure those two babies are as happy as can be too.”

For the first time, Sylvie finally understood her mom’s intense care. She was honestly a little ashamed that it hadn’t clicked with her sooner. Sylvie was a dream to her. A dream she was very lucky to get. So she was determined to protect and nourish that dream at all costs.

Sylvie also knew in that moment that she would be the same when it came to her kids. The love she felt for her babies was already immense. She would do anything for them and they would probably resent her for giving them too much attention – but she didn’t care. She loved them way too much to care.

Martha grabbed Sylvie’s had and squeezed it tightly, “You two are going to be the _best_ parents to these little boys – and I can’t wait to see it.”

“Boys, huh?” she questioned. Everybody had been throwing their two cents in on the sex of their babies, and naturally, boys had been coming out on top – Matt was a boy dad after all.

“A mother’s intuition is never wrong, parenting lesson number one.” Martha told her with certainty.

Sylvie chuckled. “Noted… I love you very much mom. Or should I say grandma?”

Martha laughed, “I guess I’m not too old to be called grandma after all…”


	79. Lofty Ideals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack has a crisis of conscience following an encounter with someone from his teenage years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I wanted to do a quick deep dive into Jack as an adult for this chapter. I've always written him as a bit of a messer and just a little more bold than Elliot. Even in little things, like almost breaking Elliot's nose, pushing Annie over when she started to walk. Sort of like a Severide to Elliot's Casey! He wants to be good, yet he sometimes falls short. So I wondered, how does someone like Jack respond to having such sweet, do-gooders in his family, when he seems to keep making little mistakes? When he feels like he can't live up to these lofty ideals? How does that affect how he approaches life?
> 
> I *hope* I get across what I thought this would look like in this chapter... and I hope you enjoy it! 
> 
> There is a brief reference to Chapter 30 - Screwing With Dreams, in this chapter (it gives an insight into Jack as a teenager following a car accident.)

It was a quiet day and the firefighters at house 51 were glad of it. The younger group of firefighters had gone out the previous evening to celebrate Jack and Elliot making squad and they were now dealing with the consequences. But, it was unfounded that two young firefighters, who were brothers no less, would make squad at the same time, so they had to celebrate. Although an unusual feat, the Casey twins were exceptional. Everybody knew it, and everybody knew that Chicago was lucky to have them looking over the city.

Jack walked out onto the apparatus floor where the majority of 51 were working on inventory and checking equipment. His shivered unexpectedly, zipping his hoodie up a little more.

“It’s freezing out here, what—” he began before catching someone walking into the station in peripheral vision. The sound of her determined heels caused everybody to stop what they were doing – and look anxiously between the woman and Jack.

_This was going to be interesting._

Jack smirked and crossed his arms over his chest, turning towards the beautiful brunette walking towards him.

“ _That_ explains why it’s so cold in here, the ice queen has arrived.” He taunted as the woman glared deeply at him.

“Well, what’s fire without a little ice?” she responded as she set her bag down on the squad table.

“Always a pleasure to see you Harper” Jack said sarcastically. Harper Stone was a rising star in the criminal prosecution arena, following in the footsteps of her father Peter. She was confident and bold and highly intelligent – and the perfect sparring partner for a quick-witted Jack. 

“Tell me, did you make any little kids cry today?” he asked.

“Just the adults I was prosecuting.” She said with a grin.

“Serves them right for going up against the Wicked Witch of Lincoln Park.”

“And you’re Prince Charming – wait… Prince Charming didn’t cheat on Cinderella with her best friend behind her back.” Harper retorted.

“Glad to see you’re not holding a grudge…” Jack grumbled as his posture stiffened.

There _was_ a reason for their constant sparring. Jack and Harper had dated in high school. Everybody thought it was a match made in heaven. The way they bounced off each other was electric. Sylvie also thought that Jack needed someone like Harper to keep him grounded. He was a confident boy and she feared that his confidence would turn into arrogance.

Harper did keep his confidence in check. She also kept Jack on his toes – right up until he _did_ get arrogant and decided that he could fool around with Harper’s best friend Charlotte and get away with it. Naturally, Harper dumped him after an _outrageous_ fight on the Casey’s front lawn (that included screaming and Harper throwing every gift and every memory she shared with Jack at him) and then he jumped straight into something more exclusive with Charlotte.

Not only had Harper been incredibly hurt, but Sylvie and Matt were _furious_ with Jack. These were not the actions of the bold but sweet boy they had raised – so he got a lot of tough love from his parents.

 _“Jack, you messed up. That’s the bottom line. If you want to date Charlotte, that’s fine, that’s your choice - but you live with the consequences. You live with hurting Harper the way that you have.”_ Matt had told him honestly.

 _“Oh, because you’ve been a saint in your romantic life!”_ Jack had snapped back. While he didn’t know much about the situation, he was fairly certain that his dad’s ex-wife had been a friend of his mom’s – but then again, he knew that argument was pretty redundant. His dad had been divorced for two years before anything happened with his mom, and his ex-wife wasn’t even in their lives anymore. It was an entirely different situation, but Jack needed _something_ to throw back at Matt.

He hoped it would make him feel better, but looking back on that moment years later, he wasn’t proud of it. He wasn’t proud of _any_ part of that situation. He hurt someone he genuinely cared about – but he was too immature and stupid to realise what he threw away. He was also too immature and stupid to realise that his dad only wanted the best for him. He only wanted Jack to be the best he could be.

_“No, I haven’t, but I’ve owned my mistakes and I used them to make me into a better person. Until you learn to show a little bit of grace, you don’t get to throw anything in my face.”_

Jack carried that lesson with him to this day. He did try to own his mistakes, but his stubborn nature meant he didn’t always get it right. Hell, he was still sparring with Harper 10 years later.

“Joke was on me” Jack said with a scoff, “Charlotte and I got into a car accident and I was banned from seeing her.” He reminded her. That was another turning point in Jack’s life. He could have died, he could have killed Charlotte, and he’d never forget the day he broke down in his dad’s arms over it.

“I guess karma’s a bitch.” Harper said with a tight-lipped smile.

“Tell me about it, as soon as I got my new car, you spray painted it – cost me a fortune to get fixed.” Jack reminded her.

“It was the same weekend I found out you started your thing with Charlotte on my _birthday_ , I was mad.” She justified. She knew she probably took it too far in that moment, but she wasn’t about to confess that right now. She and Jack were both far too stubborn for their own good. Harper shrugged, “a harmless prank really.”

Jack narrowed his eyes, “With malicious intent.”

Harper sighed, closed her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her nose. They had an audience, this really wasn’t the time or place. “This is dumb. It’s been 10 years, let’s move on. Is Elliot around?” she asked.

“Oh damn, are you trying to get your claws into _both_ Casey boys? No rest for the wicked.” Jack shot back.

Harper rolled her eyes. The _last_ thing she needed was to get wrapped up in another Casey – even the supposed nice one. They were heartbreakers and everyone knew it. “He’s helping me with a case.”

“That’s not a denial.” Jack responded without skipping a beat.

“I’m _so_ glad to see that you’ve grown up Jack.” Harper grumbled before she walked towards the lounge doors. “I’ll find him myself. Nice to see you guys” she said to the rest of 51 who all smiled and waved quickly.

Jack watched Harper as she walked away from him. The sparring always seemed fun at the time, but as soon as she was gone, Jack was always left feeling a little bit empty. Right now, the emptiness was more obvious than before - and he couldn’t quite put his finger on why.

* * *

Jack walked around the firehouse for the rest of the day like a ghost. He blamed it on the hangover he was sporting if anyone asked, but it was a lie. He couldn’t get his mind of Harper and it was driving him _crazy_. Their encounter today had been no different than any other day, so what changed?

_“I’m so glad to see that you’ve grown up Jack.”_

As much as Jack didn’t want to admit it, he knew that’s what it was. Harper didn’t think he’d changed from his idiotic teenage ways. Did _anybody_ think he’d changed? Did _anybody_ think he was a decent person? He’d tried so hard to own his mistakes all his adult life, but now it was hitting him that maybe he wasn’t doing a great job of it.

He’d been surrounded by good people his whole life – hell, his own twin brother was a serious, brooding do-gooder, and his parents, well, they were the best people he knew. The capacity they had for kindness and love and grace in their lives was admirable and they’d raised him and his siblings to be the same way – yet somehow, he found himself falling short of those ideals regularly.

He was arrogant, at times obnoxious and selfish. He was used to getting his way in life with his captivating Casey smile and charm offensive – but what was he trying to prove by being that way? That it didn’t matter if he approached things with kindness or not, because he it always worked out for him in the end?

One situation that certainly hadn’t worked out was his relationship with Harper. She didn’t fall for his Casey charm (not that he tried very hard with her). She saw him for who he was – and he wasn’t sure it was a person he could be proud of.

As he walked through the firehouse, he soon stumbled across his mom folding some laundry. It was so strange coming to work and having his parents here, yet at the same time, he loved it. He found it comforting that they were looking out for him and he could look out for them.

He watched her for a few moments before he found the courage to ask the question on his mind.

“Am I a good person?” he blurted out as Sylvie turned around to look at her son as he sheepishly leaned against the door frame.

“Yeah honey, of course.” She said with nod and furrowed brow.

Jack sighed. He walked further into the room, crossed his arms and leaned against the washing machine. “I probably shouldn’t be asking my mom this question, you _have_ to say that.”

“I don’t _have_ to say anything. What’s going on?” she asked curiously. It was rare for Jack to have a crisis of conscience, so she was determined to get to the bottom of it.

“Harper came by today. She’s working some case with Elliot and as usual she got under my skin.” Jack grumbled.

“Harper _always_ gets under your skin.” Sylvie pointed out. “Why is it frustrating you so much now?”

“She doesn’t think that I’ve grown up – and I’m starting to think that she’s right.” He confessed quietly. Sylvie set her bedsheet down and turned slightly to face him, giving him the space in the conversation to elaborate on that nugget. “I’m not oblivious to the way I can be. I can be arrogant, and I charm people to get through life… and I don’t know _why_ I do it. I feel like I’m surrounded by so many good people and I decided from the outset that I could never match up to the goodness I was seeing, so I didn’t even try.”

“In other words… you got a false idea in your head that you weren’t enough and you played into it.” Sylvie analysed as Jack nodded his head. He turned to look at Sylvie who had the faintest of smiles on her face. “What?” he asked, wondering what was going through her mind. Was she _really_ finding amusement in his crisis?

“You are more like your dad than you think.” She told him.

Jack quirked a brow. His mom _had_ to be on something. He and Matt were opposites. Yes, they had a great relationship, but out of the five Caseys, they certainly butt heads the most. Jack found Matt sanctimonious at times, while Matt wished Jack would learn to be gracious in life.

“Mom, as much as I love and admire dad, I think you’re mistaking me for Elliot—”

“No, I’m not. Your dad spent his childhood believing that he wasn’t enough because the one person who was supposed to love him the most in this world made him feel that way.” Sylvie told him. “He carried that with him through life. He never thought he was good enough and throughout his life, very few people treated him well enough to make him believe otherwise. He could never see the good that he did in life.”

Jack shook his head, “Dad didn't have the love that I had growing up, but he still is good to his core. I have so many people who love me, yet there’s that doubt that niggles at the back of my mind that just drags me down.”

Sylvie smiled again, “That’s where my tendencies come in.” she confessed. She had a lot of people who loved and respected her too – granted, not to the same extent that Jack did, but a lot of people none the less – yet she never had the confidence in herself to believe that she was worthy of much in life.

“I hate that I’m standing here making excuses, I’m just – I’m trying to understand. I’m trying to self-analyse and it’s hard.” He said with a scoff.

Sylvie shook her head, “It’s not an excuse, it’s an explanation.”

Jack didn’t say anything, and Sylvie realised that knowing that distinction wasn’t enough. She hated that her son felt like he wasn’t living up to some lofty ideals he felt were surrounding him, but even more than that, she hated that he seemed to have the impression that the people who loved him the most always lived up to those ideals too. They certainly did not live on some higher plain.

“Jack – nobody is perfect. Everybody makes mistakes – even those people you hold in such high regard.” She told him truthfully. “And it is never too late to right our wrongs. It is never too late to work on ourselves, to try and be better. Hell, I’m _still_ trying, and I _still_ fall short. The first thing we can do is recognise that we have it in ourselves to be good, but we don’t have to hold ourselves to impossibly high standards. We do our best, we hold onto our principles. We love, we show grace, we show kindness. You are not a bad person Jack. You’re just learning along the way like the rest of us.”

“Has anybody ever told you you’re a really good mom?” he asked as Sylvie beamed at him. Matt liked to remind her regularly, but hearing it from her children was that little bit more special.

“Somebody just did” she said with a wink. Jack looked down at his feet and Sylvie could see that he was clearly processing everything Sylvie had just said – but she could also tell there was something more to this. Martha Brett had told her that a mother’s intuition was never wrong, and she’d learnt to trust it over the years.

“Are you sure this is just about whether you’re a good person or not?” she asked cautiously.

“Seeing Harper today… I really messed up something good with her. I mean, she drives me completely _nuts_ and that much fire in a relationship can’t be good.” he said, trying to explain away his feelings.

“There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of fire in a relationship Jack – just as long as it doesn’t become the only thing you have.” she made clear. There was no one set mould for a relationship. As long as there was love, trust, care, respect and communication, whether your relationship was tender or firey was where personalities came in.

“It doesn’t matter anyway. There’s no way she’ll forgive me.”

“I don’t know… it’s been ten years. She probably only spars with you because there’s been no opportunity to be anything else.” Sylvie reasoned. 

“You mean because I haven’t apologised…” he mumbled. He had a vague recollection of saying sorry ten years ago, but he also knew that he didn’t really mean it. How could he mean it when he jumped straight into something with Charlotte afterwards?

Sylvie shrugged. She wasn’t about to tell Jack what to do, but it seemed like he was getting there by himself.

“I’ve given you more than enough motherly advice to process, I’ll let you figure this one out on your own.”

“Right…” Jack said with a smirk. “Thanks mom” he said appreciatively before kissing her cheek and leaving the laundry room.

Sylvie got back to her task, but a few moments later, she heard another familiar voice at the door.

“He’s right you know.”

She turned her head and saw Matt standing in the door frame with his hands in his pockets, “About what?” she asked.

“You are a _really_ good mom.” He reiterated. Even though their kids were grown, she was always there for their every need.

Sylvie discreetly smiled, “You heard that?”

“Some of it yeah.” He confirmed as he walked into the room and ran his hand over her shoulders. “Is he ok?”

Sylvie nodded, “He will be. He’s just navigating life like the rest of us. I think he’s finally realising that it’s pretty damn hard.”

Matt scoffed, “Yeah it is, but it doesn’t have to be so hard if you have the right people by your side.”

“And he does… or he will when he works things out with Harper.” Sylvie said with a grin.

Matt raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Harper? Harper Stone?” As far as he was aware the two of them could not and never _would_ get along. News of their little spat this morning had already spread to his office. Boden had been right when he said there was nothing in the firehouse he didn’t know about – people just didn’t _know_ that he knew. Matt experienced that as soon as he became chief.

“I’m telling you Matt, they’re meant for each other, I can just feel it in my bones.” Sylvie said happily. She was still standing by her conviction that Annie and Robbie were meant to be, so she was standing by this one too.

“Well, a mother’s intuition is never wrong.” Matt teased as Sylvie rolled her eyes.

“Just you wait.” She warned as Matt nodded, figuring it wasn’t wise to argue with his wife over something like this. She always knew best.

* * *

The following evening, Jack and Elliot were sitting in Molly’s watching the Blackhawks game when Annie came in and sat in a stool next to them. Once a week, the Casey siblings met at Molly's for some strict sibling time. There were no exceptions or excuses for missing it, though Jack really wasn't in the mood for company right now.

“Hey” she greeted happily as Luke Hermann set her usual rose in front of her (like mother like daughter).

“Hey” Elliot replied, but Jack merely grunted in return.

Annie frowned at him, “Nice to see you too Jack” she said with a fake enthusiasm in her voice.

“Don’t mind him, he’s moping over Harper.”

“Stone?”

“Who else?”

“I’m _not_ moping.” Jack finally said as he sat up a little straighter. “I’ve just got a lot on my mind…” he grumbled.

Annie nodded courtly, turning her head as the door to Molly’s opened – and none other than Harper appeared. Annie watched her for a moment. She looked nervous. Harper never looked nervous. She was the most confident person Annie knew. She also knew that she rarely frequented Molly’s – mainly so she wouldn’t end up in a bad mood because of Jack.

“Hey Harper” Annie tentatively greeted as Jack’s head shot around, catching her square in the eye.

“Hey Annie” she greeted with a little wave before walking to the back of the bar to sit with a friend.

Jack sighed and clenched his jaw before turning back to face the bar.  
  
“Ok, it’s been 10 years and she _still_ makes you squirm like that - what is it about Harper that messes with your head so much?” Annie demanded to know.

Jack wasn’t normally one to talk about his feelings, but he’d broken that barrier by talking to his mom, so why not his siblings? He trusted Elliot and Annie more than anything, so surely he could trust them with this.

“I think she might be the one that got away.” He confessed.

“You’re _kidding_.” Elliot mumbled as his face fell. He was expecting Jack to go on some rant about how annoying Harper was, but _no_. Jack was filled with intense regret from a relationship he screwed up when he was 17.

“At the time I thought it was good thing to be getting out of that relationship, but I was a coward.” He added.

“You were 17 Jack. How much can you know about relationships at that age?” Elliot asked. He certainly had no idea, and he’d always been a little more in tune with his emotions than Jack was.

“Whatever… all I know is that a girl like Harper Stone is one in a million.”

“So, you’re an asshole to her to make yourself feel better about the fact that you screwed up?” Annie asked.

“No, I’m an asshole because I’m an asshole.” He made clear. That inner conflict was about a hell of a lot more than Harper. “Dad always told me to own up to my mistakes and I try to – but somehow I still can’t get things right.”

Elliot looked back at Harper briefly before turning to Jack, “Apologising is always a good place to start.” He suggested.

Jack nodded his head knowingly. Sorry _was_ a good place to start – and he wanted to start _now_. He wanted to live up to his mom's words earlier. He wanted to be better. He slid off his stool just as Harper’s friend left hers and he walked to the back of the bar.

As he approached Harper, he could see her body tense, just waiting for whatever jibe Jack had planned – but it never came. Instead, he said;

_“I’m sorry.”_

Harper blinked a few times before replying, “What?”

“I’m sorry. For what I did back in high school. For how I treated you. I don’t think I ever apologised to you. With any meaning anyway…”

“Yeah…” she mumbled, not really sure how to respond.

“You deserved better than me. You deserved someone who could see what was right in front of him. I know you probably find this hard to believe but… losing you was probably the biggest mistake I ever made.” He confessed to a still stunned Harper.

“We were 17 Jack. How real could it have been at 17?” she asked quietly.

Jack knew it was real. All love was real, it sometimes just meant different things as you grew to appreciate love for what it truly was. Whether it was a crush you had when you were 5 years old, whether it was your first love, your worst love or the person you were meant to grow old with. It _all_ mattered.

“It was pretty real to me. I just didn’t realise it. Goodnight Harper.” He said before turning and walking away. He said a quick goodbye to his siblings before leaving the bar.

Something flicked in Jack that night. He realised that he was never going to be perfect and neither were the people around him, but he had the goodness in him to own his mistakes and allow them to make him a better person. He never lost that cheeky, charming streak - it was just who he was - but he never used it to manipulate people, he never used it to get his way. He learned to be gracious like his dad had asked of him years ago (and in doing so, he realised that someone who was gracious would never throw someone's mistakes in their face, another subtle lesson Matt was giving him in that moment.)

And as for Harper, Elliot and Sylvie had been right - Jack’s apology to her was the start of something really good. Something great in fact. Something that was filled with fire and passion and playful annoyance – but also something filled with a deep love and respect and care. The spark that they had when they were 17 never went away and it was that spark that reminded them through the years, that despite the fights and frustrations, they would always deeply love one another. They made each other better.

Harper Stone was one of the best people Jack knew and from the moment she and Jack worked things out, he knew he would never let her go again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2021 is a joyful year for you all x


	80. Saving Grace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An established Brettsey version of 9x01/9x02. 
> 
> As Matt and Sylvie settle into their new apartment, Sylvie faces a dangerous call at work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 9x01/02 were awesome. So much Brettsey goodness! And it was so awesome putting this storyline into an established Brettsey universe. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy how I've used the story and twisted it to fit in with Family Portraits!
> 
> Set after chapter 28, 'Eyes are Windows to the Soul' i.e. about 6 months into their relationship.

_“Casey, no!”_

Casey. She called him Casey. She never called him Casey anymore – unless they were on a call or she was mad at him. Considering they were standing in their newly rented apartment, he figured it was the latter.

“No, what?” he asked, his mouth slightly agape. She was most the most charmingly confusing person he’d ever met. He really had no clue what the problem was.

“I told you _three times_ that those plates needed to go into _this_ cupboard.” she said as she pointed at the cupboard above the sink.

“… right, you did.” He said with a nod – even though he was 99.9% she did _not_ tell him that. She was probably distracted by the large arch windows that lined the exterior wall that she loved so much. They had compromised on this feature because Matt didn’t like big windows, but he did like _her_ – and he knew this was a temporary apartment anyway.

Matt did have to admit, however, that the arch windows really worked in the apartment. It was a really beautiful space at a very reasonable price. It had two bedrooms, an obscenely large bathroom fitted with a two headed steam shower and a huge open plan living, kitchen and dining space. There was a lot of natural light that reflected perfectly off the white walls – and Sylvie couldn’t be happier. As excited as she was for the renovation on their new home to begin downtown, she was _just_ as excited to live here for the next little while.

Matt quickly put the plates in the correct cupboard (with Sylvie keeping a side eye glance on him as he did so to make sure he got it right) before moving to the front door.

“The hinges on this door look a little loose, I’m going to put another lock on this.” He told her. Sylvie agreed. Matt could deal with the practical stuff of making sure the apartment was safe and the furniture well built – she could deal with the fun _design_ stuff. It was a perfect arrangement.

“The landlord said he was coming by to fix the garbage disposal or something so maybe wait until he does that before you bolt us in here.” She teased.

Matt frowned, “I could deal with the garbage disposal myself.”

Sylvie shrugged, “Just think of it as one less thing for you to do.”

Matt turned his head and watched Sylvie as she continued to put things away in their kitchen. _Their_ kitchen. He loved that they could start calling things _theirs_. He loved that he was starting this perfect domesticated life with this perfect woman in front of him. Every heartache in his life seemed worth it if it meant he got to be right here with her.

It only took Sylvie a few more seconds to catch on that he was staring at her.

“Something on your mind?” she teasingly asked with a little grin as she closed a cupboard door.

Matt started to walk towards her. “Oh I was just thinking about what I’m going to do with the extra time I have now that I don’t have to fix the garbage disposal…” he said as he trapped her against the island, his hands on either side of the worktop.

Sylvie grinned wickedly as their noses grazed before Matt’s lips started to work their way down her jaw and her neck. She craned her neck to grant him as much access as possible. It didn’t take long for Sylvie to discover that Matt was a neck guy – and it didn’t bother her one bit because it was most certainly her sweetest spot.

Sylvie’s hand instinctively moved to Matt’s hair, grabbing some of it in a fist as he gently nibbled on her neck. She was so lost in his touch that she barely even realised he’d lifted her and set her on the kitchen island.

“This place is never going to get organised if you keep doing that…” Sylvie breathlessly said as Matt lifted his head to look at her, causing Sylvie to involuntarily pout. She was right about the apartment, but that didn’t mean she wanted him to _stop_.

“I disagree. There’s no way this apartment can ever be ready…” he said as he stole a deep and slow kiss, leaving her yearning for more. His kisses were addictive and she knew she would never be able to get enough. Matt pulled back, her eyes remaining closed as her head instinctively followed his lips forward, hoping he’d swoop back in and kiss her with more fervour. “… until we’ve christened every spot in it.” He whispered deviously as Sylvie’s heart began to race.

She finally opened his eyes, meeting his hungry gaze that ignited a fire inside of her. She gulped, “starting with the island?”

Matt nodded, “starting with the island.” He confirmed before devouring her lips, showing the urgency of his need for her.

Yeah. Domestic life suited them well.

* * *

A little while later, Matt and Sylvie sat on their hardwood floors, their backs against their newly delivered couch and a blanket wrapped over their bodies. They were suitably sweaty, their hair fantastically ruffled and ridiculously spent in the best way possible – but not so spent that they couldn’t find the energy to laugh like little kids together. There were many things that Matt Casey loved about Sylvie Brett, but one of the things at the top of his list was her ability to make him laugh about anything and everything. He’d never laughed with anybody like he laughed with her. Every time he laughed with her; he knew he would be laughing like this with her forever.

And the topic of their laughter right now? A stupid accent game that Sylvie insisted they play. Only Sylvie Brett could turn him from hot sex mode to dorky game mode.

 _“Pass.”_ Matt grumbled.

“ _No_! You cannot keep passing.” She scolded as she lowered her phone from her head and smacked his bare stomach with the back of her hand.

“You _know_ I am terrible at accents. It said Yiddish, there’s just – there’s no way.” He reasoned.

Sylvie narrowed her eyes, “You wouldn’t do Boston or Transylvanian either.”

“Fine, I’ll do the next one - but I’m not sure how I feel about you finding so much joy in my horrible accents.” He told her as he quickly kissed her jaw. He loved to steal any little touch from her that he could. 

“It’s just another thing to love about you.” She said with a wink as she sat back a little and positioned herself to hold her phone to her head again. “Ready?” she asked as he reluctantly nodded.

Sylvie brought the phone to her head, the eager anticipation clear on her face.

_Australian._

“Oh geez…” he grumbled as Sylvie glared at him. “Ok, ok” he said quickly as he sat up straighter. He hated disappointing her – even over something as trivial as an accents game. “Uh… that’s a stable table you have their _mayte.”_ He blurted out.

Sylvie eyes widened and she bit her lip, trying to hide her instant amusement, “Australian?”

“ _Yes!”_ he shouted in glee. She got it! Of _course_ she got it, it was a pretty good attempt in his opinion…

Sylvie couldn’t hold it in any longer as she dropped her phone on her lap and curled over in silent laughter. “That was so, _so_ terrible.” She teased as she finally let out the sound of laughter. Matt leaned forward, the shock amusement written all over his face.

Matt shook his head, “you are a mean person Sylvie Brett, you know that, right?”

“Yeah” she managed to breathlessly get out as she continued to laugh. As mean as she was being, her laugh was like music to Matt’s ears.

“And like you could do any better...” He grumbled.

Sylvie finally got her laughter under control, but the grin remained on her face. She shifted her seating position, moving to straddle his lap, his hands instantly falling on her hips and hers finding his neck.

“I love you – _mayte_.” She said in her best Australian accent.

Matt’s eyes widened, “Ok that was worse than mine and you _know it_ ”

Sylvie laughed again before she leaned down and kissed him. Matt instantly deepened the kiss before pulling her as close to his chest as he could, their arms wrapped tightly around one another as they lost themselves completely in each other’s touch.

Yeah - only Sylvie Brett could make him switch modes like this.

* * *

Matt and Sylvie were on cloud nine for the rest of the week. Everybody at 51 had noticed it too. Casey even cooked for them on one occasion. If they knew that moving in with Brett would have made Casey make his famous chicken parmesan, they would have begged him to do it a lot sooner.

Their happy, blissful bubble soon came crashing down, however, when Sylvie and Mackey attended to a rough call that Friday morning. They were called to an OD victim, but as soon as they got there, the victim’s brother pointed a gun at Sylvie’s head. Naturally, Sylvie was a ‘stone cold slayer’ in Mackey’s words and handled the situation like a total pro. They did what they could for the guy and got him out of there before the brother could do anything he would probably regret.

As always, Matt had been sitting by the radio during Sylvie’s call. He knew he could sometimes be a little overprotective with the people he loved, but he worked hard to keep it in check. He knew Sylvie could handle herself, but this put his mind at ease just a little bit - though his mind certainly wasn’t at ease when he heard Sylvie call for a 10-1 over the radio.

As soon as the ambulance pulled into the station, he was on the floor waiting for her. He tried to be cool about it, but as soon as Mackey left, he took a greater step forward and pulled her into his chest. He didn’t receive any form of protest however, as Sylvie’s arms were reached out to him before he'd even moved.

Sylvie rested her ear against his chest, finding the steady rhythm of his heart comforting. He gently kissed her head, feeling so grateful that he had her here in his arms – and she fit _perfectly_ there. It was like she always belonged and his arms were made to hold her and only her.

“You ok?” he asked quietly.

Sylvie nodded, “Yeah. Guy definitely went into my top ten scary, but we were out of there before he could do anything.” She confessed. She’d been held at gun point multiple times in her career, but it never got any easier. How _could_ it?

“What about CPD?” he asked – though he’d already made up his mind that calling Burgess was necessary.

“They took a statement” she said quietly, knowing that that wouldn’t do much for them.

“I’ll call Burgess, see what she knows.” He insisted as Sylvie just nodded against his chest with a gulp. “Is there anything I can get for you?” he asked as she lifted her head to look at him, her arms remaining firmly around his waist.

“I could go for one of your salted caramel and chocolate milkshakes…” she suggested.

Matt smiled, “I think I could manage that.” He agreed before stealing a quick kiss.

* * *

“God, I cannot _wait_ to get into bed.” Sylvie said with a sigh as she and Matt walked into their apartment building following shift. They’d gone for some breakfast before spending the afternoon with Christie and Violet. It was getting dark outside by the time they got home and they were more than ready to call it a day.

Thankfully, 61 hadn’t been called to anymore solo calls and Halleck hadn’t reared his head – though they did find out that his brother had died at Med. Sylvie half expected Halleck to come storming into 51, ready to finish what he tried to start, but there had been nothing. She couldn’t help but feel, however, that she was being watched as she and Matt left the firehouse the following morning. She just had a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach about the whole thing.

Matt didn’t really feel great about it either, but he felt assured that they were going home together and she wouldn’t be alone until Halleck was taken into custody.

“Yeah, it was a rough one…” Matt agreed as they turned the corner of the hallway that led to their door.

Sylvie reached into her pocket to get her keys, but before she could, Matt spoke.

“Sylvie…” he said as he held a handout in front of her to stop her from moving any further. She looked at him before following his gaze towards their door – and saw that it was left open.

Maybe Matt had been right about getting an extra lock on the door.

“Can you hear anything?” Sylvie asked in a whisper as Matt shook his head. He peered in the gap and didn’t see any kind of movement. He could see the kitchen and it looked perfectly normal.

He took a slow step forward and pushed the door open further – still nothing.

He walked inside with Sylvie behind him. They set their bags at the door, taking a moment to look around him. The apartment was perfectly fine. Not a thing was out of place. He quickly checked the bathroom and bedrooms, but _nothing._

He frowned, taking another quick sweep of their living room to see if anything was obviously missing, “It doesn’t look like anybody’s been in here.”

“We definitely didn’t leave the door open.” She said, looking as confused as him. Sylvie’s face went pale as Halleck flashed across her mind, “You don’t think—”

 _“No_.” Matt said quickly to try and reassure her. “There’s no way he’d know where we live. Maybe it was the landlord, didn’t you say he was going to fix the garbage disposal?”

Sylvie nodded silently. It was the landlord. It _had_ to be the landlord. Anything else was unfathomable in Sylvie’s mind.

“Either way, I’m here.” He said as he walked closer towards her and rested his hands on her arms. “And I’m not leaving your side until we hear from the landlord and Joe Halleck is in custody. _I’m here_.”

Sylvie smiled before running her hand over his cheek, “You always are.”

* * *

Turned out it _was_ the landlord after all. He apologised profusely for leaving the door open – and quickly agreed to Matt putting an extra safety lock on the door. It only eased Sylvie’s mind slightly, however. While it was a relief that Halleck hadn’t been anywhere near their home, he was still out there, and Sylvie still felt _watched_.

And she’d been right to feel on edge too. They received a call early next shift and they’d barely made it out of the house before Halleck, in a drug infused state, ran them straight off the road.

Matt was incensed when he’d heard ambo’s call for assistance over the radio. He and 81 had never moved to the rig so fast in their lives. His heart sunk to his stomach thinking that she was in danger – and it felt like it might beat out of his chest when they didn’t reply over the radio. It was complete silence.

_“61 what is your location? 61 respond, do you hear me?”_

Nothing.

Silence.

This couldn’t be happening. This had to be a joke. They were a total state of bliss just last week and now it was being ripped away from them in the blink of an eye. She had to be ok, she just _had_ to be.

Stella soon spotted the rig over the embankment, but they blew way past the scene. Matt’s desperation got the better of him and when Stella wouldn’t stop the rig, he did they only thing he felt he had to do – he jumped straight from the rig while it was still moving.

His instincts to get to her completely took over. His mind didn’t give him the opportunity to think about the potential bad outcome of his actions. All that mattered was getting to Sylvie.

He wasn’t even remotely surprised when he got there to find she’d gotten herself out of that situation – but she was completely surprised to see him rush towards her. She barely even registered the sheer desperation on his face as he grabbed her arms and checked her body for any obvious injuries. She just couldn’t work out how he got to her so fast. Where the _hell_ had he come from? Where was everybody else?

When they got back to the station, however, she was quick to ask him about it.

_“How did you get there so fast?”_

He wasn’t sure what he was about to tell her. He certainly couldn’t tell her that he’d jumped out of a moving vehicle for her. She’d be so mad. Mad that he’d even think it was remotely ok to risk his life for hers.

_“I—”_

Before he could tell her anything, Capp came by and told him that Boden wanted his report on the incident ASAP. He really didn’t want to leave her. He hadn’t even had the chance to hug her and tell her that he loved her because they were constantly surrounded by people. But that would have to wait – just like their conversation about his actions.

It seemed that Sylvie had forgotten by the end of the day, however. Her exhaustion from the day took over – she even fell asleep in Matt’s truck on the way home the following morning. He rather smoothly carried her inside - receiving some curious glances from their new neighbours as they went - and deposited her safely under the covers of their bed.

He was supposed to be working on a house renovation today, but he just couldn’t. He cancelled it and found himself sitting in bed beside her, paperwork in his lap, his free hand running gently over her hair as she slept. Halleck may be gone, but he still felt like he couldn’t let her out of his sight. Life was so precious. Everyday as a firefighter was so precious. He wanted to treasure every single moment – even watching her sleep.

She slept for most of the day, which probably meant she wouldn’t sleep well tonight, but Matt just couldn’t bring himself to wake her. Not when she looked so peaceful after such a rough day. When she woke, she was insistent that they go out. She didn’t want to sit around the house, she wanted to be surrounded by her 51 family. So they did just that. They got dressed and they headed to Molly’s – and were instantly met with cheers from 51.

“There’s Evil Knievel, how you doing kid?” Hermann was first to ask.

“All the better for seeing you guys” she said as she took her jacket off and sat at the end of a bench in the patio, while Matt sat down beside Gallo.

“A rose and a beer coming right up” he told them from behind the bar as they nodded gratefully.

“You need something stronger than a rose after the day you’ve had.” Gallo said as Sylvie smiled. “That call was really something, you guys should have been there.” He said to Tony, Capp and Cruz whose ears perked in curiosity. “So we’re heading up Stewart—” Gallo began as Matt gulped. He guessed Sylvie wasn’t going to be kept in the dark about his heroics after all. “Kidd starts zig-zagging down the road, that’s when Casey spots the ambo down an embankment and goes to eleven. _Turn it around, turn it around, that’s Brett’s rig, turn it around!”_ he said imitating his Captain as Sylvie smiled in amusement. She wasn’t at all surprised that Matt lost his mind. She would have too if it was he was in the same position she was.

“Well, yeah, I saw it was 61 – you guys know the rest.” Matt interrupted, hoping Gallo would leave it there.

“No, we don’t” Tony said as he leaned forward, wanting to hear more about what happened.

“So Kidd’s hauling ass but we blow way past the scene, Casey says _‘screw this, I gotta get down to Brett!’_ and he leaps from the rig while it’s _still moving_ – swear to God. He left all his gear behind, no helmet, no jacket. Last I see is him sprinting back to the ambo like a man possessed, I’ve never seen him run like that—”

All the voices on the patio faded away as Sylvie’s eyes bore through Matt. He’d never been looked at in such an intensely beautiful way. All his fears about Sylvie being mad at him disappeared in that moment. The look on her face was pure unadulterated love. It screamed _‘You did that for me. You love me – and god do I love you.’_

“… how the hell he got down there so fast, we’ll never know. It was awesome.”

Sylvie was brought down to reality as Gallo finished the story. She suddenly sprung from her chair like she’d been shocked, as Matt stood up with her in concern.

“Excuse me.” She said quickly as she grabbed her jacket and dashed out of the patio.

Gallo’s face fell, “Oh, that’s my bad Captain, I didn’t mean to make light of anything—” he quickly apologised.

Matt shook his head, “It’s not you, don’t worry. Excuse me.” He said as he quickly went after Sylvie.

He got to her just as she had exited Molly’s. She was pacing the street outside, her head pointed down like she was in deep thought.

“Sylvie—”

“You didn’t tell me that you did that.” She said quickly, the tears in her eyes as she stopped pacing and looked at him.

“I didn’t want you to get mad at me for being reckless.”

“It _was_ reckless.”

“And I’d do it again.”

_“I know.”_

They fell into a silence as they looked at each other just as intensely as they had been looking at each other a few moments ago. Suddenly, Sylvie charged towards him, her hands rising to his cheeks before she kissed him soundly. She pulled away after only a few seconds, her hands remaining on his face.

“You love me. You _really_ love me.” She said quietly.

Matt sent her a lopsided grin, “Yeah. I do.” He said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“You _saved_ me” she said as Matt immediately shook his head.

“You got yourself out of there and you know it--”

“No I mean – you _saved_ me.” She interrupted. “In every moment, in every storm – you’ve been my saving grace.”

Matt didn’t say anything. Instead, he tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, his eyes taking in every inch of her face. He sometimes couldn’t get over how perfect she was.

“It’s always going to be you Matt Casey. You’re the only person I would also jump out of a moving vehicle for. Now and forever.” She knew how much he loved her. She felt it everyday. But a moment like this, a _gesture_ like this – it was overwhelming that someone could love someone that much. And she too couldn’t imagine loving anybody as much as she loved him. She never had and she never would.

“I love you. So much. Not a day will go by that I won’t make sure you know it.” He made clear.

Sylvie let a stray tear of joy fall down her face before she beamed widely, swooping in for yet another earth-shattering kiss.

Who knew a person could make you feel complete?


	81. Girl Dads

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Severide calls upon Matt when he can't get baby Lizzie to stop crying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY ONE CHICAGO EVE EVERYONE! Here's a little Casey/Severide/Annie/Lizzie fluff as we *patiently* wait for tomorrow...
> 
> I hope you enjoy it!

**Girl Dads**

It was a Saturday morning, and Matt was enjoying a rare quiet day at home. He didn’t have any construction jobs, and while Sylvie took Jack and Elliot to a soccer match, Matt was hanging out at home with his almost two-year-old daughter. Annie was always a lot of fun to play with. She radiated joy in everything she did, and her little giggle was infectious. Matt wasn’t remotely surprised that his kids constantly made him laugh – their mother performed the same service in his life. It had to be genetic.

Annie was also a very affectionate little girl and Matt couldn’t get enough of her little hugs. He wished she would stay this little forever, but the thought of watching her grow up and conquer the world brought another level of joy to his life.

He’d left Annie by the couch in the kitchen, one eye watching her as she lined up her cuddly toys on it -talking to them in indiscernible nonsense as she went – and his other eye was on the kitchen cupboard as he put the dishes away. His Saturdays with Annie often included little jobs around the house that Sylvie had left him to do (and he more often than not forgot to do them because he was too distracted by Annie).

“Daddy!” he heard Annie’s little voice call as her bare feet patted along the tiles in his direction, her stuffed bunny rabbit in hand and her blonde curls bounding along her back. “I’m hungry please.” She said very politely.

Matt stepped forward and scooped her up, planting a sloppy kiss on her cheek and causing her to giggle. “We better get you some lunch then. What would you like?”

“Apples.” She said with certainty. It was clear she’d been thinking about this for some time now.

Matt nodded, “apples it is. How about some pancakes too?” he asked as Annie nodded her head. Matt turned around to start getting the ingredients out. “Ok, let me s—”

 _Smack_.

Annie burst into tears before Matt could even process what happened. He looked around him and realised that he’d left the upper cupboard door open – and he’d just smacked Annie’s head right off it.

“Oh no…” he grumbled as Annie buried her head in his shoulder as she continued to cry out. It seemed crazy that the person who accidentally hurt her was the only person who could bring her comfort too. “Oh baby, I’m sorry” he said with a grimace as he hugged her tightly against him, running his hand up her back, trying to sooth her tears. He quickly inspected her head and felt a little bump, but there was nothing to be concerned about. She didn’t hit it that hard, it was the shock of it more than anything. “You’re ok, it’s ok.”

Annie’s cries subsided a little, just as Matt’s phone started to ring. He looked down and saw Severide’s name pop up on screen. He carefully balanced Annie in one arm and answered his phone with the other.

“Hey, what’s up?” he said quickly – but all he heard was little baby cries down the line. It seemed that Severide was in a similar position to him right now with his 4 week old daughter Lizzie. _“Hello?”_ he asked again. He put the phone between his shoulder and his ear so he could continue to rub Annie’s back.

Suddenly, he heard a scramble and Severide’s voice came over the phone, “Casey, I need you man.” He asked frantically.

Matt frowned; “What’s wrong?”

“Lizzie, she – she won’t stop crying and Stella’s not here and I don’t know what to do. I wasn’t cut out for this man. Being a dad, that’s your thing and I need your help, please.” He begged.

“Ok, ok, I’ll be right over.” Matt said quickly before Severide could lose his mind any further. Matt hung up the phone and looked down at Annie. Thankfully, she had calmed down and was now just sniffling against his shoulder. He determined that the pancakes would have to wait and instead, he grabbed Annie a nutritious lunch of a pop tart and an apple instead. He then dashed out of the house, strapped her in her car seat, handed her the food and raced down the road to Severide’s.

* * *

Severide flung the door open and shot Matt a wide-eyed stare, Lizzie’s cries were also ringing through the apartment. “What took you so long?”

“You called me 7 minutes ago.” Matt reminded him in disbelief. “I think I made pretty good time.” He reasoned. “I also brought a helper.” Severide looked down and saw Annie staring up at him as she held onto Matt’s hand and ate her apple with the other.

Severide let out a short sigh and a smile, “As brilliant as you are Annie Casey, I’m not sure an almost two-year-old is the answer to my problems right now.”

He stepped out of the door and allowed Annie to run ahead of them. She ran straight to Lizzie’s bassinet, stood on her tip toes and peered in at the screaming baby. She then shot Matt a confused glance, wondering how something so small could make so much noise.

Matt looked around him and saw that the loft was in disarray and Severide looked utterly exhausted. He’d never seen his friend like this, and it was alarming. He figured right about now was the time he needed to spring into dad mode for him.

Matt stepped forward with Severide quickly on his heels. “I take it she’s been fed and doesn’t need her diaper changed?” he asked as he looked into the bassinet.

“Nope, I did all of that – she just won’t _stop_.” He said as he ran a hand over his head. He was concerned about his daughter but also frustrated. He’d done everything he was supposed to do, so why was she so upset? “Maybe she just wants Stella. I mean – I get it, I would very much like her to be here too, but she needed a break so I told her to take her time.” He explained. Stella had gone to meet a few friends for lunch and to do a spot of shopping. Severide insisted he could handle Lizzie by himself, but now he was having some regrets.

Matt lifted Lizzie up and carefully cradled her, rocking her gently for a few moments.

“Jack and Annie loved having their nose gently rubbed before they went to sleep. For Elliot it was his fist.” Matt explained as he gently ran his index finger down Lizzie’s nose – and to their amazement, she settled down.

Severide put his hands on his hips in disbelief. Casey was seriously telling him that all it took was him running his finger down Lizzie’s nose? Unbelievable.

“How did you – I—” Severide mumbled out, but his exhaustion got the better of him and he couldn’t find the words.

“Here” Matt said as he held Lizzie out for him, allowing Severide to slip her into his arms. She stayed quiet for a few seconds – before bursting into tears again.

“Ok, it’s settled. _I’m_ the problem – she hates me.” Severide concluded as he desperately tried to calm her down. “I know it’s dumb man, but I thought we’d be more _bonded_ by now. I’m don’t know how that’s supposed to feel, but I just – I can’t get this right.” He confessed as he set Lizzie back down in her bassinet, lounged on the end of the sofa and gently rocked the crib with his foot. He didn’t really know what being a dad would feel like, but he didn’t expect this. He didn’t expect to feel so helpless.

“You’re great with kids, mine love you.” Matt reminded him. Jack, Elliot and Annie adored their Uncle Sev and Aunt Stella. They always had the best time when they were together.

“That’s different… I know I’m good with kids, but maybe it’s only as the fun uncle status.” He grumbled. “Being a dad – that was always your thing. You’re more cut out for this than I am.”

Matt stayed silent for a few moments before he turned to Annie and lifted her up.

“Annie, tell Uncle Sev what I did to your head this morning.” He asked his daughter.

“He banged-ed it off a door.” She said with a pout as she grabbed Severide’s hand and directed it to the bump on her head.

“Ouch…” Severide grumbled as he pouted along with her in solidarity.

“Yeah. Not my best dad moment.” He said with a regretful grimace before kissing the bump on Annie’s head and setting her back down, allowing Annie to run back to Lizzie’s bassinet and peer into it. “I feed them ice cream far too late in the evening, I put them in front of the TV longer than I probably should and do you know how many times I stepped in pee when we were potty training Jack and Elliot because I was distracted by something else and didn’t notice they thought the floor was an appropriate place to do their business?” he asked as Severide couldn’t help but chuckle. It seemed fitting that the Casey boys would be, well, _little boys_.

“My point is – kids are _monsters_. I mean – you saw the chaos of our house when you and Stella came over to tell us about Lizzie.” He reminded him. Jack was running around naked, Annie wouldn’t stop crying and Elliot refused to be addressed as anything other than Captain Casey, firefighter extraordinaire. “Things are going to get chaotic, there are going to be days when Lizzie won’t stop crying and days when you have to sing row-row-row your boat a hundred times in a row and you’ll want to tear your hair out – but then there will be days when she won’t stop hugging you. There will be days when you walk through the door and her eyes light up when she sees you. Those days make every bad day worth it.”

Severide looked down at Lizzie, her crying starting to subside a little. “You know, anytime I let myself imagine being a parent, I always pictured a boy. I’m not going to lie, I feel a little out of depth with a girl…” he said with a snigger. He wasn’t sure he had what it took to be a good girl dad – whatever that meant.

“Girls are the best, man.” Matt said without a moment of hesitation. “Lizzie is going to look at you like you are the best thing in this world. She’s going to love you so much – even when you bang her head off the kitchen cupboards.” He said with a snort as he looked over at Annie who had moved on from looking at Lizzie and was now running around Severide and Kidd’s open planned living space, singing to herself.

“She’ll spend the rest of your life calling you and saying that she needs you – but I guarantee you’re going to need her just as much if not more.” He told Severide proudly. He couldn’t imagine his life without Annie. She was a true spot of brightness that completed their chaotic home. He knew that her love was something he would always treasure and be something he always needed. He couldn’t love his blonde haired blue eyed little girl if he tried. “Soon enough you’re going to want 5 girls.” He added teasingly.

Severide chuckled, “I don’t know about _five_ …” he grumbled, feeling a little warm all of a sudden. They stood in silence for a few moments as they watched Lizzie finally drift off to sleep.

“Maybe Lizzie’s thing is having you rock her crib like that…” Matt suggested as Severide looked like he had a light bulb moment. He looked so proud of himself – like he’d finally cracked parenting.

“I love her so much Case. I didn’t realise you could love someone this much.” He said quietly. All of his fears truly did feel like nothing compared to how much he loved his daughter.  
  
“That love is what’s going to keep you going man. Lizzie is fine. Amazing in fact – you’re not going to screw that up.” Matt insisted.

Severide nodded, “Thanks man…”

The front door opened and Stella appeared, a smile forming on her face when she saw Matt and Annie.

“Oh hey Casey, Annie.” She greeted, laughing slightly as the little girl waved at her, but kept running. She couldn’t wait till Lizzie was old enough to get into some mischief with Annie – they would definitely keep their parents on their toes. “I just got off the phone with Brett – she was grumbling about you leaving the dishwasher and cupboard door wide open and then you were nowhere to be found to explain yourself?” she questioned.

Matt grimaced. Hopefully he didn’t cause anymore head injuries in his absence… “Oh, yeah, that’s uh – I should get home.” He said as he walked towards Annie and scooped her up under his arm, causing the little girl to squeal and laugh.

“Thanks for the help Casey.” Severide called after him as he opened the door.

Matt shrugged, “I didn’t do anything.” He replied, wanting Severide to take some personal triumph in this moment. “I’ll see you later.” He waved.

“Bye!” Annie waved happily as she and Matt left the apartment.

Stella turned to Severide who now had a little smile on his face.

“Everything ok?” she asked curiously.

“Yeah. It is.” Severide confirmed. He never thought he would be able to say that with certainty, but now he could. He was never going to be a perfect parent, but he was ready to be a parent that loved their kid with everything in them, and he was ready to receive that love in return.

Matt was right, being a girl dad was the best - and they were two of the best girl dads out there.


	82. The Nursery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sylvie heads for a spa weekend with Emily and Stella while Matt completes a project at home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! 
> 
> Figured we were due some fluff to balance out all the angst we're seeing on screen lol 
> 
> This is set during Sylvie's pregnancy with the twins - I hope you enjoy!

**The Nursery**

It was a Saturday morning and Sylvie was excited. She was heading for a spa weekend with Stella and Emily as her her mom had sent her some vouchers. Sylvie decided it was the perfect opportunity for a girl’s trip. She did hope, however, that it wouldn’t prove to be as life threatening as the hockey team bus crash a few years back.

Sylvie had two months left on her pregnancy and growing two babies was no joke, so she was ready for a relaxing weekend that would rejuvenate her before she came back and got ready for the babies. There was still so much to do. Mainly, they needed to sort the nursery. Right now, it was just an empty room in their big old house and Sylvie couldn’t _wait_ to bring it to life. She’d create numerous mood boards about it and had her vision perfectly mapped out in her head. She was constantly talking through her ideas with Matt, though she was fairly convinced that he wasn’t really listening to her when she did. He just nodded along, having no real input himself. He knew his input would be required when they were actually constructing the room, so it seemed he was saving his two cents until then.

Sylvie came downstairs and set her bag at the door before practically skipping into the kitchen with excitement. She found Matt standing at the island, his brow furrowed, poking through a bowl of fruit salad with a fork.

“What are you doing?” she asked curiously as she approached him.

“Christie dropped off this fruit salad and I’m picking out the cantaloupe. I’ve told her you hate it, but she keeps forgetting.” He explained as he delicately removed the cantaloupe and put it in a separate bowl.

Sylvie smiled softly. Heaven _forbid_ she would have to pick the cantaloupe out _herself._ It may have seemed like an insignificant gesture, but it was the little things about her husband that she loved the most - like picking out the cantaloupe or running her a bath every night after shift at exactly 8pm or having a milkshake waiting for her at the station after a rough call. 

“My hero” she teased as she quickly kissed his cheek before sitting at the island. “What are your plans for this weekend?” she asked as Matt pushed the cantaloupe free fruit in front of her to eat.

Matt shrugged, “I don’t know, I don’t have any plans.”

Sylvie froze mid-bite and narrowed her eyes, “You don’t have any plans?”

“… is that really so hard to believe?” he asked incredulously.

“Uh, yeah!” she replied quickly. “You, Matt Casey, cannot sit still. You always have to be doing something.”

“That is not true.” He said as he sulked into the stool beside her. “We sat on the couch last night and watched TV – that’s not really doing anything.”

“But you still couldn’t keep your hands still, you were running your fingers up and down my arm the entire time.” She reminded him. Even if it was the smallest thing, his hands always had to be doing something. He was a fidgeter and he knew it.

“Ok fine. I’m doing something with Severide.” He said plainly, only spiking Sylvie’s curiosity further. He was being blunt about his plans and deliberately holding back - she wasn't stupid.

“Why are you being weird about what you’re doing?” she asked as the doorbell rang.

Matt stole a grape from her bowl and quickly ate it, “… don’t worry about it” he replied before kissing her quickly and walking towards the door.

“Are you keeping secrets from me now?” she asked as she grabbed her bowl of fruit and followed him out of the room.

“Secrets? No.” he said as he shook his head. “Surprises? _Maybe._ ”

Sylvie’s pout fell as her eyes lit up and a small smirk graced her face. “Surprises huh?” she questioned as Matt finally turned to look at her once they’d reached the front door.

“You’re going to like it.” He assured her before opening the door to Stella and Emily’s grinning faces.

“It’s spa time momma-bear!” Emily teased as they pushed past Matt to give Sylvie a hug.

“Oh don’t mind me…” Matt jokingly grumbled as Stella spun on her heel.

“Sorry Casey, this is _strictly_ a girl’s weekend, there’s no time for hellos and distractions from men – meaning we need to leave right now. You’ve already spent long enough with him this morning Brett.” Stella insisted as she took her fruit bowl from her and handed it to Matt.

“But we were just talking about surprises—” Sylvie began to protest as Stella lifted her bag and Foster ushered her out the door.

“The surprises will be waiting for you when you get back, right Captain?” Emily questioned. Severide had let it slip to Stella who in turn let it slip to Emily what Matt was planning this weekend, so the sooner they left, the better. Matt needed all the time he could get to pull this off.

Matt nodded, “Right. Have a good trip” he called from the door as Sylvie managed to give him a quick wave before Stella and Emily got her into the car. He watched as they drove off, smiling softly to himself. Sylvie really did have the craziest, but best, friends out there.

As soon as the car turned at the end of the street, Matt grabbed his keys and headed towards his truck.

Time to get started on the surprise.

* * *

Sylvie sat in her lounger by the swimming pool, nervously tapping her fingers against the arm of the chair. She was trying desperately to relax, but she was starting to think it was hopeless. She hated not knowing what was going on back home. She hated not knowing what Matt was planning with Severide. Why couldn’t he just tell her? What was the big deal?

 _“Brett_ ” she heard Stella say through her teeth as she turned to look at her best friend. “You have _got_ to stop tapping your fingers against the lounger. We’re trying to relax here.”

“Sorry…” she grumbled as she crossed her arms over the top of her neat baby bump. “It’s just – it’s _annoying_.”

“What’s annoying?”

“Matt is doing something with Severide today and he wouldn’t tell me what.” Sylvie grumbled as Stella and Emily shot each other a knowing glance. Time to lie their asses off.

“They’re probably watching sport and drinking beer all day, no big deal.” Stella said nonchalantly.

“Then why be weird about it? Why tell me it’s a surprise?”

“Oh, he said that?” Stella asked with a grimace. Damn Casey for not being able to play it cool, the man had _no_ game and had not perfected the art of _subtlety._

“Whatever it is, I’m sure you’ll love it – and maybe he would have told you, but we ushered you out of the door pretty quickly.” Emily suggested. She really had no idea what she was going to say if this didn’t work.

Sylvie sat up a little straighter, “Yeah… maybe he did want to tell me.” She awkwardly swung her legs round and got ready to stand up. “I’m going to call him.”

“ _No_.” Emily and Stella both said at the same time.

“We left our phones in the changing rooms for a reason Brett.” Emily reminded her. _“No_ distractions. _No_ husbands.”

Sylvie pouted, “But it’s _Matt_ … he could never be a distraction.” She said sweetly – but she knew fine rightly that he would _definitely_ be a distraction. Even if it was 30 second 'would you mind doing this for me?' phone call, they were hard to pry away from each other and it always turned into a longer conversation. Now that Sylvie had a secret to get to the bottom of, she would not hang up the phone until she got her answer.

“Besides – there’s no way you’re getting off that lounger without our help momma.” Stella reminded her. "And we ain't helping you."

Sylvie’s mouth fell open at Stella’s bold – but entirely accurate – claim. She was way too low to the ground and her bump meant her balance was completely off.

“That’s _mean_ … but true.” Sylvie grumbled as she relaxed back in her lounger.

“Brett, whatever it is, I’m sure it’s a good thing. When has Matt Casey ever deliberately done a bad thing in his life?” Emily reminded her.

Sylvie knew it wouldn’t be a bad thing, it was just her sometimes nosey nature getting the better of her. “I know… and I’ve been looking forward to this weekend for a while now. Momma needs to relax while she still can.” She said with a little laugh.

“So do Aunt Stella and Aunt Emily, _believe me_.” Stella replied as they all closed their eyes and took in the quiet bliss of the spa.

* * *

“Are you sure we should be the ones doing this man?” Severide asked as Matt lay the wallpaper on the ground. “You’re a construction guy, not a wallpaper guy.”

Matt stood up straight and glared, “I don’t think putting up some wallpaper is beyond us Severide.”

“I beg to differ…” he grumbled. “Why can’t we just paint it? We could do paint.”

“This is the wallpaper Sylvie wants, so it’s what she’s getting, end of discussion.”

Severide smirked and held up his hands, “You got it.” He held back for a second and watched as Matt carefully pasted the white wallpaper with little beige dots. Matt had been working on bringing this together for weeks and Severide had seen how excited he was for it. Though truthfully, this project was just the peak of the excitement Severide had seen from Matt over becoming a father. Anytime someone mentioned it his entire face lit up. He loved talking about his babies and he loved talking about seeing Sylvie become a mother. He couldn’t help but boast any chance he got about how brilliant she was going to be at it and how much their babies were going to love her.

The same went both ways, Stella had told him that Sylvie was constantly telling _her_ how Casey was going to be the best dad.

_“I know he’ll be strict when he has to be - you guys have seen that side of him as Captain - so our babies will definitely know right from wrong, but he’s just – he’s a total goof sometimes and they’re going to have so much fun with him, I can already imagine their little laughs…”_

The little smile Sylvie had on her face when she said things like that would have been nauseating to Stella if she didn’t love her friends so much. It was nice seeing them as happy as they were, nobody deserved it more in her eyes.

“Look at you man” Severide said with a little snigger as Matt looked up and eyed him curiously.

“What?”  
  
“You’re in nesting mode. You’re in _dad_ mode.” He said as he bent down to help Matt lift the first piece of wallpaper. “Though, I feel like you’ve been in dad mode since the moment I met you. You’ve certainly had enough practice anyway.” He remarked. Griffin, Ben and Louie were incredibly lucky to have Matt in their lives for the short time they did.

Matt scoffed, “I’m not sure anything could really prepare you for becoming a dad.” He admitted. “It’s strange – I’m already filled with this intense love for them, but it’s coupled with a certain amount of fear that I’m going to screw it up. I didn’t exactly have the best examples of parenting growing up…”

“You’re not going to screw it up.” Severide insisted as the placed the first sheet of wallpaper on the wall. Matt was very good at internalising things. He saw himself as a screw up. In the past, the people he loved most had let him feel that way, and it took a lot for him to work through those feelings.

Matt stopped and stood back, looking at the wallpaper. “Sylvie is the first thing in my life that I haven’t screwed up. It’s the one thing I _know_ I won’t screw up.” He said confidently. It was nice for Severide to see. He never remembered him being this confident in his relationships before Sylvie. “I hope fatherhood is something I know I won’t screw up too. Might take some time to accept that though.” He confessed.

Severide nodded his head and let the words sink in. His best friend had wanted this for as long as he could remember. He had a taste of fatherhood with Louie and then it was so cruelly ripped away from him, he was fairly convinced that Matt believed his dreams would never become a reality.

But now, here he was, bringing two babies into the world and wondering whether he was going to screw it up. It didn't seem fair that Matt would have these demons over something so joyous.

“Like I said – you’re not going to screw it up.” Severide repeated. “And trust me, I would tell you if you were.” He joked as he punched his friend in the arm.

Matt let out a breathy laugh, “I hoped you would.”

They fell back into a momentary silence as they continued working with the wallpaper. Surprisingly, it didn’t look bad.

“How do you know this is the one Sylvie wanted?” Severide asked. This was supposed to be a surprise after all.

“She’s been making these mood boards on some app on her i-pad.” Matt said with a shrug. He didn’t pretend to understand it. He just followed Stella’s careful instructions on how to get to it.

“… what the hell is a mood board?” Severide asked.

“Hell if I know...”

* * *

“Matt?” Sylvie called through the house as she walked through the door and set her bag down. While she’d managed to relax for the rest of the weekend, she continued to eagerly anticipate her return home. For starters, she missed her husband. Quite simply, he was her favourite person on Earth, and she didn’t want to spend any longer away from him than she had to.

Then, of course, there was the surprise. Just before she got out of the car, Stella and Emily had grinned brightly at her and told her to enjoy it – it then clicked with her that they knew _exactly_ what was going on and had been playing her all weekend.

She made a note to get them back for that at some point.

Soon after her call through the house, Matt came down the stairs, a familiar smile and look in his eyes. It was all Sylvie needed to realise that he missed her too.

“Hi” he greeted quietly as he stepped off the last step and engulfed her in a hug. His chin rested on top of her head while her cheek was against his chest. They just fit so perfectly, like they were made for one another.

“I missed you” she mumbled as he felt her smile against his chest.

“I missed you too. I mean, Severide is good company, he’s not you, ya know?” he joked as Sylvie chuckled slightly. “How was your weekend?” he asked.

Sylvie sighed happily, “It was _bliss_. I need to do it more often. The facials were just—” she suddenly stopped midsentence, causing Matt to lift his head and look down at her. His eyebrows furrowed as she turned her head and started sniffing him.

“Are you – are you _sniffing_ me?” He asked slowly.

“You smell like wood... and glue.” She told him as she lifted her head and looked at him. “What were you gluing?” 

Matt stepped away slightly from their hug, running his hands down her arms until they came to her hands. He tugged on them and led her towards the stairs. “Your surprise.”

Sylvie’s eyes widened as he gently led her up the stairs. She’d forgotten about that. She was just so glad to see him, she’d forgotten about the source of her anxiety this weekend.

“My surprise… that involves glue and wood…” she said as she tried to put the pieces together in her head. He made her something? What would she need made? What would she need made that required Severide’s help?

Matt remained quiet and let her speculate to herself as they walked across the landing and stood outside a door opposite their bedroom.

“So… last time I checked, you were pregnant.” He said sarcastically as Sylvie narrowed her eyes.

“Yeah I heard that too…” she joked back.

“And babies need a nursery.” He said as things started to click in Sylvie’s head as her face softened. She looked at the door and realised it was the room they had set aside for their babies. She had been making plans for this room for months now.

“You – you glued some wood for the nursery?” she asked curiously.

Matt chuckled, “Not quite…” He said as he opened the door and allowed her to look in ahead of him.

Sylvie’s mouth dropped as she slowly walked into the room and took it all in. She knew instantly that anything she had planned couldn’t have lived up to this. She ran her hands running over stuffed animals, beautiful little baby grows and blankets - the different shades of white and beige that decorated the room made it feel so warm. Her eyes soon landed on the two rocking chairs by the window before moving to the maple changing table and dresser. It was all perfect.

But her favourite part of it all were the two beautiful maple cribs that lay against the back wall. She walked towards them and ran her hands over them, her eyes watering. She turned to look at her husband who was watching her carefully from the door.

“You did all this?” she asked in an amazed whisper.

“When you were asleep, I went on that pin board app you use on your i-pad. Stella said you kept a ‘board’ there.” He said, as Sylvie chuckled to herself.

“Pinterest.”

“Yeah, that…” he grumbled slightly. He couldn't even _pretend_ to understand the thing. “So really, _you_ designed it. I just brought it to life.”

All that time she thought he hadn’t been paying attention to what she wanted for the nursey, he’d really been planning it in his head. He’d been buying things and hiding them, and she had no idea. It was a perfectly orchestrated surprise.

“These cribs…” she said as she struggled to find the words. “They’re beautiful, where did you get them?”

“Oh I uh – I made them actually.” He confessed quietly.

Sylvie felt her heart flutter. She was at a loss for words. She looked down at the cribs and all she could think about was the love and care Matt had put into these. It was overwhelming and she couldn’t find the words.

“I made them at the Herrmann’s.” he explained as he walked towards her. “Took me a while since I’ve never built a crib before and I had two to make but uh – I think they turned out ok.” He said, downplaying his work. He never had been one to boast, but Sylvie was ready to boast from him right now.

“They turned out perfectly.” Sylvie insisted as she bit her lip to stop her tears from falling. What did she do to deserve a man like him? A man who took the time to pull together her dream nursery. A man like him who would love their children with everything in him. A man with so much love and care in his heart.

“I didn’t want you to miss out on all of the fun though…” He said as he moved away from her and lifted something up from the corner. He turned around and revealed two mobiles to hang above the cribs. “Figured you might like to put up the finishing touches” he said with a smile that Sylvie returned.

She took the mobiles from him before allowing Matt to help her climb his little step ladder, and she slipped the mobiles onto the hooks that Matt had already hung for her.

“They’re amazing” she said with a little giggle of glee and she climbed back down.

She and Matt stepped back a little and surveyed the room. Sylvie had her arm wrapped firmly around Matt’s waist, her head on his shoulder while his arm was around hers.

“I was thinking when we manage to pick out names for the babies we could get some wooden letters and put them on the selves over there or I can hang them on the back wall over the cribs.” Matt suggested. He saw on her board that she like those, but it wasn’t something they could do right now. They didn’t even know the sex of their babies.

“I like Elliot.” Sylvie blurted out. “Elliot Casey – I think it has a nice ring to it.”

Matt nodded, “Elliot Casey… I like it.” He confirmed. It did just roll off the tongue.

“Did you have any in mind?” she asked curiously. They'd thrown a few names out there in the past, but they've never talked about it seriously.

Matt shrugged, “I kind of like the name Jack.”

Sylvie smiled up at him. Trust her solid and sweet husband to like a solid and sweet name. “Jack Casey… it definitely has a nice ring to it too. Though it does sound like the name of someone who is going to keep us on our toes.” She said as she screwed up her nose.

Matt chuckled, “How can you tell that from a name?”

Sylvie shrugged, “Mother’s intuition.” 

“What about girls names?” Matt asked.

Sylvie shook her head, “We don’t need to worry about that.”

“Why not?”

“… you’re a boy dad.”

 _“What?_ ”

 _“Motherly instincts_.” She shot back at him again as he grinned and pulled her closer into his chest.

“If you say so.”

As Jack grew up and lived up to his mother’s prediction, Matt knew to never doubt Sylvie’s motherly instincts again – well, right up until he _did_ become a girl dad. Then again, Sylvie had been adamant it was a boy right up until she went into labour. Then, all of a sudden, they were having a girl. Turns out motherly instinct could be a little fickle.

As suspected by Stella, Emily and Severide, Sylvie spent the next few weeks gushing about the nursery Matt had put together. She also felt like she couldn’t thank Matt enough for all that he did. Matt insisted, however, that it was the least he could do for the two lives he was growing.

When Annie was born, Matt built her a crib too. All three of their kids loved them – it was a task getting them out of them and into toddler beds when the time came. The cribs then started collecting dust in their garage for the next number of years – right up until Jack, Elliot and Annie took them to use with their own kids. It was the perfect piece of their grandfather they wanted their kids to have and, as suspected, the next generation of Caseys loved the cribs just as much as the generation before.


	83. The Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following a nightmare, Matt internalises his fears rather than confront his demons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm unsure how I feel about this one... I'm just not sure it's doing everything I wanted it to do/I got what I wanted to get across, across. I might come back to it, but I wanted to post it as it is anyway. 
> 
> This chapter is set when Matt and Sylvie are engaged and I'm planning a follow up type chapter on this involving one of the Casey kids (probably Annie, I haven't quite decided yet).
> 
> Happy reading!!

_The room was dark and dusty, the ground beneath them covered in rubble. For so much destruction, the room was eerily quiet._

_Matt desperately looked around him. All he could see in the distance was darkness, but only a few metres from his feet he saw her._

_He dashed towards her, falling in front of her, picking her up and desperately cradled her in his arms. She was virtually lifeless in her arms, her breath laboured and skin pale._

_“Sylvie! Sylvie! No, Sylvie!” he begged._

_There was blood everywhere, but he couldn’t work out where it was coming from. She’d been shot, her left arm was also lying at an angle and her hair was covered in glass from the smashed windows of the ambo. Matt quickly looked around him to call for help – but there was no one there. They were alone in a dark, dusty basement – and there was something strikingly familiar about it._

_“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry” Matt repeated through his sobs as he held her head against his. He did this. This was his fault. It was always going to be his fault; he could never protect her._

_“Matt...”_

_Matt lifted his head after Sylvie’s weak voice beckoned him. He looked down at her, a moment of hope stirring inside of him. She smiled softly at him – before falling limp in his arms._

The thunder clapped outside, jolting Matt awake in his bunk, the sweat beating down his forehead. He ran his hand through his hair as he tried to control his ragged breath. His heart was thumping against his chest, fear shooting through him like a knife. After getting his bearings, he jumped out of his bunk and opened his door, desperately looking over to his fiancée's bunk.

Relief rushed through him as he saw her lying there, fast asleep. The steady rise and fall of her chest managed to calm his breathing. His head was telling him his relief was irrational – of _course_ she was ok, why _wouldn’t_ she be ok? _It was just a dream._

But if it was just a dream, why did it feel so real? Why did it feel so _familiar_?

Matt took a final glance at Sylvie before looking down at his watch. It was 6am, they only had a few hours left of shift and he didn’t fancy going back to sleep and experiencing the fear of his fiancée dying in his arms again. Instead, he took a shower, finished off some paperwork and made sure everything was ready for third shift. He did it all absentmindedly, however. The details of his dream still so vivid in his mind. He figured Boden might call him out on some shoddy paperwork – but he really did not care right now.

When 8am rolled around, he dragged his feet to the locker room to get changed. When he got there, he found Sylvie by her locker. He watched as she slipped her engagement ring on her finger before closing her locker door. He suddenly felt all the tension leave his body.

_She’s here Matt. She’s right here._

Sylvie spotted him just as she bent down to pick up her bag. Her face immediately lit up at the sight of him, his own expression immediately reflecting hers.

“Hey” she greeted as she stepped towards him. Although he had a smile on his face, she immediately picked up that something was wrong. He looked tired and just a little lost. “Are you ok?” she asked, her hand landing on his upper arm.

Matt shrugged, “I just didn’t sleep very well.” he contemplated telling her the whole truth, but he didn’t want to worry her. It was just a one-off freak thing. He was fine. Truly.

Sylvie frowned, “Oh. I guess it can be hard to sleep here sometimes.” she sympathized. “You should go home for a nap before you head to the house.” she suggested. Matt had told her yesterday that he wanted to have the main bathroom in their house finished by the end of this week.

Matt shook his head, “What I really want to do is take you for breakfast.” he insisted as he lifted her free hand and placed a kiss on her knuckles.

Sylvie nodded, “that sounds nice. Especially considering the dinner Ritter and Gallo inflicted upon his last night...” she said as she scrunched up her nose. Normally, their cooking was edible – but last night’s risotto agreed with _no one_. Matt and Sylvie ended up sneaking BBQ into his quarters later that night to make up for it.

Matt chuckled, “Let me just get changed, I’ll meet you at the car.”

Sylvie nodded and let Matt slip past her, but she didn’t move. She turned her head and watched him as he let out a deep sigh, the sad look covering his face. She could tell something was up. She could read him just as well as he could read her – but she didn’t want to push it. Not right now anyway. She knew he’d come to her when he was ready, he always did.

* * *

Matt didn’t sleep well of the rest of the week. He kept having glimpses of his dream just before he fell asleep, and he always forced himself awake before he could fall into an uncontrollable deep sleep. He didn't want to go there again.

Even when he was awake, however, the details still plagued his mind. Holding his fiancée in his arms while she died from injuries she either sustained or almost sustained on the job wasn’t something he would forget any time soon – but he did _try_. He busied himself with work and the construction of their house, but it wasn’t much use. Until he confronted this and what it meant, he knew he wasn’t going to be in a good place. But that was a lot easier said than done.

He knew Sylvie had noticed the shift in his mood. She wasn’t pushing the matter, but he could tell she was getting a little frustrated about it. They were always so good at communicating with each other, but Matt didn’t know how to begin explaining it all to her. _Especially_ when he couldn’t admit to himself the root of the problem. He couldn’t admit that the root of the problem was his own shame and his own guilt.

 _He_ was the one that made the call that ended up with her breaking her arm.

 _He_ didn’t insist she take the ambulance out of service when Halleck came after her.

 _He_ didn’t notice Halleck lurking around the firehouse, just waiting for the right moment to pounce.

It all fell back on _him_.

In the week that had passed since his dream, Matt left the apartment early and arrived home late, all in a bid to not talk about it. He knew it was selfish and he knew it wasn’t right and he hated himself for it. That Friday night, the lights were off when he got home, so he assumed Sylvie was already asleep. He tiptoed through their apartment, silently getting ready for bed. Not that it really mattered, he wasn’t going to sleep anyway.

He climbed into bed, his eyes on Sylvie the entire time. She was lying on her side, facing his pillow, her hands tucked neatly under her head. Matt scoffed. She was always complaining that her pillows weren’t soft enough, but somehow her hands were? He made a note to tease her about it tomorrow.

He lay on his back, resting a hand behind his head, his other hand tapping nervously against his bare chest as he stared mindlessly at the ceiling. Suddenly, he felt Sylvie’s hand fall on top of his, instantly stopping his tapping.

“Sleep, Matt.” she whispered, keeping her eyes firmly shut.

It was then that he knew she knew he hadn’t been sleeping.

Why hadn’t she said anything?

God, he was becoming everything he hated in a partnership. He wasn’t talking to her, he was bottling something up that she could help him with. He _knew_ she could help him – but there was nothing easy about confronting a demon.

He took his hand from behind his head and rested it on top of hers, soaking in the comfort of her touch. He held his breath for a second, before the flood gates opened and he confessed.

“I had a nightmare.”

He could see Sylvie’s eyes open in his peripheral vision, but he didn’t look at her. He couldn’t look at her yet.

“During shift, I had a nightmare – about you. We were in a basement and I think it was the basement at the Arnow Fire. You broke your arm, you had a gun shot, the ambo was smashed beside us and the glass was covering you.” he explained quickly. “There was a voice that kept saying it was my fault and then – then you died in my arms.” He whispered, barely able to get the last part out.

Sylvie’s mouth opened slightly as she looked for something to say, but she couldn’t find the words. She didn’t expect this. Honestly, she didn’t know _what_ she was expecting.

Matt sat up and moved to the end of the bed, running his hand over his face before resting his elbows on his thighs.

“It was like everything bad that’s happened to you over the past few years – the Arnow fire, when you were held at gun point, when the ambulance crashed – decided to club together in my brain to torment me.” he finished as Sylvie sat up and put the lamp on beside her.

“But why were you blaming yourself?” she questioned as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

“I made the call to bring you into the Arnow Fire.” he pointed out.

“How could you have known the floor was going to collapse?” she asked immediately. It was the right call – and she would have gone in there anyway. Never once did she blame him for that. She knew he carried guilt about Otis, but she didn’t realise that guilt extended to her.

“I-- I had no idea you were carrying that guilt.” She confessed quietly.

“I lost a firefighter that day – and I could have lost you too. That’s something I’ll always carry.”

“As long as you don’t let it drown you.” she made clear. “And the ambo crash was _not_ on you. It was entirely on Halleck. And being held at gunpoint? I wish I could say that was a freak thing but it’s happened to me more than once and I sense it won’t be the last time either.” she said honestly.

She and Matt had made a point of not sugarcoating the dangers of their jobs. They couldn’t ignore the realities of their jobs and yes, it hurt. For Matt, it hurt knowing that she’d been held at gunpoint on more than one occasion. He hated the thought of her being alone through it all. He knew she had 51 in her corner, but he couldn’t help but wish that it had been specifically _him_ right there for her, each and every time.

Sylvie moved to the end of the bed, tucking her legs underneath her and turning her body to face Matt’s. “You are a fiercely protective person Matt Casey and I love you for it – but you _cannot_ blame yourself for every bad thing that happens – even if people in your past have made you feel like it will always be your fault.” She knew his parents had made him feel that way and she hated nothing more. She hated that someone so good was constantly blamed for _their_ shortcomings. She hated that nobody in his later life made him realise it was complete and utter _bullshit_.

“I’m ok. It was just a bad dream.” she reminded him as she ran her hand over the back of his neck.

Matt nodded silently, gulping as he tried to hold in his emotions. He hadn’t wanted to confront the truth of this trauma. It seemed too painful. But maybe confronting it was exactly what he needed. He needed to break the cycle. He needed to stop internalizing his fears. He needed to stop waiting for something horrible to happen – because Sylvie was different. He just knew it. This was _different._

“Do you remember that call truck responded to around 4 years ago? The one I was shot at” he asked. Sylvie nodded her head and gulped, her own emotions rising at the thought of Matt being shot at. “I uh – I never told you the whole truth about that call. I only ever told Boden.”

“Did something else happen?” she asked quietly.

“I was staring down the barrel and the gun jammed. One in a million chance that that would happen, and it happened to me. I could never understand it. Why was I allowed to live?” he questioned, his voice cracking slightly over the memory. “Boden said it was because it wasn’t my time and I know that’s true but – it wasn’t the whole story for me. I didn’t get it at the time but – I get it now. I’ve understood for a long time. I didn’t die because of _you_. I didn’t die because I was meant to live the rest of my life with _you_. So yeah – those dreams freaked me out because I was reminded of all the times I almost lost you. And I _can’t_ lose you Sylvie. You’re the best thing that’s happened to me in a very long time and I love you so much – and I hate that that love comes with a price in the jobs that we do.”

Sylvie moved forward, her forehead resting against his temple. She bit her lip to stop her tears from falling. She understood this completely. Every time he walked into a fire her heart didn’t stop pounding until she saw him walk out. She figured that feeling would never go away – but it was a price she was willing to pay if it meant she got to love him for the rest of her life.

“I’m right here Matt. I’m right here.” She whispered. “We both are.” She added.

“Yeah. You are. And I’m grateful. But there’s a little voice in the back of my head wondering if it will all be gone in an instant.” He confessed. “It seems to be a pattern in my life and I’m worried that this time it would break me.”

Sylvie sat up straighter as he finally turned his head to look at her – and he was surprised to find that she had a little smile on her face.

“Let’s make a deal then.” She said before holding up her pinky finger. “Let’s promise that everyday we’ll love each other like it’s our last day on Earth. Let’s promise to never let a day go by that we don’t make sure the other person knows how much we love them.”

Matt felt his fears subside as he looked at her little smile and outstretched pinky. What did he do to deserve her and her goodness and love?

He lifted his pinky and hooked it through hers, _“Promise.”_ He responded as her smile grew that little bit bigger.

She released her pinky and pulled his arm, bringing him back into bed.

“And if you ever have another dream like that” she began as they got under the covers, manoeuvring until she was snuggled into his chest, his arms wrapped firmly around her. “All you have to do is reach out and I promise I’ll always be beside you.” 

Matt and Sylvie knew there were few promises they could make each other against the realities of their jobs – but the promises they made that night were something they _could_ keep and something they _did_ keep. They never went another day without feeling the love of their partner.

Matt rarely went another night’s sleep without feeling his love next to him. Whether it was just their pinky fingers touching under the covers, he couldn’t fall asleep until he was sure she was right there. When she wasn't there, he still felt her deep love and was continually comforted by the promises they made that night. A night's sleep without her might have been a little more restless, but he always knew he'd have her in his arms soon.

He also never had a bad dream again.


	84. Formalities and Jealousy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A rewrite of 904 as if it had happened in the established Brettsey universe of this story.
> 
> Sylvie and Matt deal with some unwelcomed jealousies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little bit of reworked fluff for this weekend... I hope you enjoy!

Matt ran his hand down his face and sighed as he walked towards the lounge. He'd worked a long contracting job yesterday and was completely _wiped._ It was for a bathroom, and the more Matt worked on it, the more evident the problems with the place became. He ended up _drenched_ trying to fix the shower and he managed to smack himself in the eye pulling out the bath, so now he was sporting a very yellow bruise that caused him to wince through every emotion his face displayed.

He cut through the briefing room and into the lounge, smiling to himself when he spotted his girlfriend standing by the coffee pot. He doubted there would ever be a time when he didn’t look like a smitten _fool_ when he saw her.

“Morning” He greeted as he took the coffee pot from her.

Sylvie shot some unexpected side eye in his direction. “ _Captain.”_ She replied bluntly, taking a sip from her coffee.

Matt paused just before he poured the hot liquid into his cup and raised his eyebrows at her.

“And why are we being caustic today PIC Brett?” he asked. He couldn’t think of anything he’d done that would cause this reaction. She never called him Captain. Well, unless they were in the bedroom, but that was a different matter _entirely_...

Sylvie turned to face him, “When I woke up _you_ were nowhere to be found _and_ you never returned my call last night.” She said as she playfully narrowed her eyes, leading Matt to realise that she wasn’t really mad at him. Well, not that mad anyway.

“I’m sorry” he apologised with a regretful smile. “The job went on longer than I expected and then I had to leave something at Severide and Kidd’s – and I ended up falling asleep on their couch.” He said with a sigh. “I had every intention of calling you back, I missed sleeping in that big old bed with you.” He added. He _did_ shoot her a quick text saying he would see her at work, but admittedly, it wasn’t great on his part. He was just in a real rush this morning when he woke up.

“You think that's all I am Captain? A bed buddy?" she retorted.

“Best bed buddy I’ve ever had—” he began, the implication evident in his voice.

Sylvie interrupted him with a smack on the arm and a scoff as Matt grinned at her. “You called _me_ first, I might add, and the text you left me said some pretty _dirty_ things about said bed..." he said quietly. That text was yet another reason why he regretted not making it home last night. "So maybe _I'm_ the one who should feel like a booty call PIC Brett.”

“No, I just wanted you to get your ass home so you would finally fix that squeaky plank under the bed.” She replied.

“I _knew_ the only reason you moved in with me was so I could be your DIY guy.”

Sylvie shrugged, “It all helps. What happened to your eye? You need some ice?” she asked as she carefully touched the area around the bruise as she carefully inspected it.

“It’s fine, no big deal.” He said with a shrug. It really wasn’t a big deal, but Sylvie wouldn’t be Sylvie if she didn’t carefully look at it and decide for herself that he was fine. “Hit it when I was ripping out the bath and no – I don’t feel lightheaded, or dizzy.” He answered, knowing she was going to check for signs of a concussion next.

Sylvie dropped her hand, “Fine.” She huffed out. She hated seeing even the smallest of bruises on him.

Matt pushed his tongue against his cheek to stop himself from teasing her. Not two weeks ago she had insisted she was fine after flying off an overpass in the ambo despite his protests that she should go to med – and now here they were with Sylvie huffing out the same _‘fine’_ he had.

“How about dinner tomorrow night to make up for not calling you back last night?” Matt asked as Boden came into the room, looking like he was heading out somewhere.

“I don’t know…” Sylvie said with a grimace as they turned to lean their backs on the island. “I’m not sure I want to be seen out with a guy who lost a battle with a bath.” She teased as she sipped on her coffee.

Matt tilted his head to the side and looked at her humorously, “Is that so?”

Sylvie merely giggled into her mug as Matt smiled and shook his head. He loved how silly he could be with Sylvie. He never had had somebody be such a spot of goofy joy in his life.

“Hey Casey” Boden called as he and Severide walked towards the doors. “Hold the fort down until this evening.”

“Done and done” Matt said with a nod.

“So, you’re the guy at the top of the chain now.” Sylvie commented as Matt nodded his head.

“Looks like it.”

“Hm… that’s kind of hot Captain.” She said as she walked away, leaving him with his mouth slightly agape. “And dinner tomorrow night sounds great.” She said, shooting a wink and a smile at him just as the bells went off for truck and ambo.

Yeah. He really didn’t mind when she called him Captain.

* * *

Although truck had quickly handled the accident when they got there, it had been a bit of an unusual call. For starters, Mouch was confronted by an old foe from his past and seemed to start a prank war that would no doubt escalate over the coming week. Sylvie also got talking to Lieutenant about it. She hadn’t caught his name, but he seemed nice enough. Matt also had a bit of a strange run in. The accident victim had made a stripper joke in a bid to calm herself down. It was rare that people in accidents used humour as a coping mechanism, so Matt was a little caught off guard, but it amused him none the less.

The rest of the morning and early afternoon had been pretty quiet. After lunch, Matt was checking the inventory on truck when Sylvie walked onto the apparatus floor with her coat and gloves on.

“Hey, you got a minute?” Matt asked, stopping her in her treks.

“What’s up?”

Matt shrugged, stepping towards her and wrapping his arm around her waist, “I just miss you. That’s all” he said with a charming smile before kissing her cheek. As soon as he saw her this morning, he instantly regretted not just packing up shop at a reasonable time last night and heading home and he'd barely seen her around the firehouse today.

Sylvie rolled her eyes and bit her lip to hold back her smile. She missed him too – but she wasn’t in the mood to give him the satisfaction of knowing that. “Well…” she began as she put a hand on his chest. “I guess you should have come last night then.” She said with a tight-lipped smile before she patted him on the chest and walked away from him.

Matt’s mouth fell open, “It was an _accident_.” He insisted. She really was intent on teasing the hell out of him today, huh?

“Uh huh” Sylvie replied over her shoulder as Stella came in from outside with all her gear on.

“Hey, you ready?” she asked as Sylvie held up the stopwatch and nodded, following her outside. She was helping Stella train for her lieutenant’s exam since Severide was being really weird right now. Sylvie had asked Matt if he knew anything about it, but he insisted he didn’t. All he knew was that Severide had been quieter than usual lately. It was clear something was bothering him. Stella had expressed her frustrations to Sylvie and she wished there was more she could do for her friend. But for now, she was the stopwatch girl who was ready to help Stella prepare for the lieutenants exam in whatever way she could.

As Stella set up for her 5th run at the course, a red-headed woman walked towards them, beaming brightly.

“Hey!” she greeted happily. “I was in the accident this morning, attacked by a kitten claw sign?”

Sylvie nodded, “Sure, yeah. The doctor discharged you already?”

“The doctor said I was fine, come back if I had a headache, otherwise they need the bed. Anyways, the firefighter who helped me this morning – is he around?” she asked with a hopeful smile.

Sylvie remained silent. Casey was the one who got her out of the car. _Her Casey_. Judging by the smile on this woman’s face, she only wanted Casey for one thing. Sylvie clenched her jaw. She wasn’t the jealous type and there was absolutely no reason to be jealous right now anyway… right?

“She means Casey.” Stella interrupted as Sylvie shot her a glare. Whose side was she on?!

“… he’s inside.” Sylvie finally said. She put her rational head on - she didn’t _really_ know what this woman wanted. She could just be saying thank you. So what else could she do but point her in the direction of her boyfriend?

“Thanks” the woman said with a bright smile before striding past them and disappearing inside.

Sylvie briefly glanced back at her. She hated how confidently she walked. Nobody should be walking that confidently towards Matt Casey. Nobody but _her_ that was.

Sylvie shook herself from her thoughts and turned back around to look at Stella who had her eyebrows raised. She cleared her throat, “Ready?” she asked, trying to focus on the task at hand.

“You mean you don’t want to go back inside and hear what that’s all about?” Stella asked. This seemed like gossip that was too good to miss out on.

“Not in the slightest. Casey can handle himself.” She said with a resolute nod.

Stella smirked. “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you jealous.”

Sylvie scoffed, “I am _not_ jealous.” She protested. “I trust Matt completely.”

Stella nodded, “Maybe so – but it’s still not fun seeing someone try it on with your man.” She reminded her. She knew that all too well following the Wendy Seager saga. “So it’s ok to admit your jealousy.”

“You want to beat that personal best or not?” Sylvie said, deflecting from Stella’s prying.

“Ok…” she said as she held her hands up and got in position.

While Sylvie was timing her, she took a quick glance back into the firehouse to see what was going on. The glare from the window made it a little hard to see, but it looked like the woman was giving Matt a card. Sylvie felt her body tense as she purposefully stretched out her shoulders to try and make herself feel and _look_ less stiff.

The next time she turned around to look into the firehouse, Sydney had walked past her. Sylvie tried to get a read on her. She didn’t look any less confident but she also didn’t look happy either.

_God, Sylvie, get it together. Nothing bad is going to come of this._

She let out a breath, just as Matt came and stood beside her, his hands shoved in his pockets.

“So, when’s the date?” Sylvie asked, keeping her eyes firmly on Stella, not wanting Matt to see the jealousy in her eyes. It _really_ wasn’t an attractive quality in her eyes.

“I said I needed to check with my girlfriend first, she can sometimes get a little weird about me going on dates with other people.” Matt retorted.

Sylvie let out a snort at his response. “That’s very considerate of you.”

“Kidd,” Matt began, just as Stella finished the course. “we’re heading out for the next phase of Mouch’s prank war with Rutledge.” He told them as Stella nodded and went inside to get ready to go. Once she was inside, Matt lifted his hand out of his pocket and held Sydney’s card out to Sylvie. “Throw this away while I’m gone?”

“Don’t want to do it yourself?” Sylvie taunted as she took if from him,

Matt smirked, “Thought I’d give you the satisfaction instead.” He replied as he quickly kissed her cheek and walked back inside.

Sylvie looked down at the card before scrunching it up in her hand, walking towards the pavement and putting it in the bin. Matt was right – it was satisfying.

* * *

Matt was _tense_. How could he not be? Another man had been eyeing his girlfriend. I mean, he didn’t _blame_ the guy – she was incredibly beautiful and smart and funny and kind – but still. It was _annoying._ This was his girlfriend after all. The person he loved more than anything on this Earth and the person who loved him just the same right back. He felt possessive of that love because it was so great. It was something he never wanted to lose, it was something he hated other people coveting. 

_“That blonde paramedic, I think her last name is Brett? How does she feel about firefighters? I know some women don’t like to date within the department. Is she seeing anyone?”_

_Yes. She is taken. Very taken. By him._

Matt tried to play it cool; _“Yeah, she’s seeing someone”_ was all he said. The Lieutenant seemed a little disappointed, but generally unbothered by it. Objectively speaking he was a good-looking guy. Matt figured finding someone else wouldn’t be that hard.

Everyone had noticed how tense Matt was in the aftermath. They’d also noticed that Sylvie was tense. They were a little snappy with people and just generally quiet, so they avoiding them whenever they could. They weren’t really saying anything to each other either. They weren’t mad at the other, no way, – they were just _wallowing_ a little bit.

They did make it out to dinner the following evening, however, and for a much needed drink at Molly’s afterwards. While Sylvie ordered a whiskey, Matt had planned on just having a beer – right until Lieutenant Grainger walked in the bar. He then agreed to try Stella’s golden hammer. Something a little stronger sounded much more appealing right now.

“Isn’t that the lieutenant from the call the other day?” Sylvie asked as they sat at a table to the side of the patio.

Matt nodded, taking a big gulp of his drink, _“Yep.”_ He said through his teeth.

Sylvie narrowed her eyes at him, “Ok, what’s your deal? You’ve been really quiet since yesterday and your whole body is _tense_.” She observed, resting a hand on his to try and get him to relax his shoulders.

Matt quirked a brow, “Says the woman whose been stretching out her shoulders every 5 minutes and whose brows has been furrowed since yesterday.”

“Ok, I’ll admit…” she began, sitting up a little straighter. “That woman asking you out threw me off a little. I’m not a jealous person and it’s not about not trusting you, it’s just – it’s not exactly _nice_ to see the person you love being asked out by someone else.” She confessed. "That love is ours and I don't like the thought of other people eyeing it as such." she said with a scoff. She realised it probably sounded ridiculous, but it was the truth, and she'd promised herself she would always be honest with him.

Matt smiled softly at her, _“That’s_ what’s been bothering you?” The irony of this situation was almost _too good._

“Yeah. It’s stupid I know—”

“Uh, no, no, not stupid. Very relatable in fact.” Matt said as he let out a hiss of breath.

“What do you mean?”

“Lieutenant Grainger over there asked me if you were seeing anybody the other day.” Matt told her.

Sylvie raised her eyebrows, “Really?”

 _“Yeah.”_ Matt grumbled, taking another swig of his drink. The thought of what happened would probably always be incredibly _irritating_ to him.

Sylvie couldn’t help but chuckle, “How the tables have turned…”

“I guess we’re _even_ now.” He joked.

“I’m sorry that happened.” she knew it wasn’t a nice feeling and she wouldn’t wish that feeling on him at all.

“Nothing to apologise for. And I can confirm it’s not a nice feeling.” Matt told her honestly. They both hated that they’d let it affect each other like that, but at the same time, it felt like a very _human_ moment. It was a human response to frustrating circumstance, so they didn't begrudge themselves that feeling entirely. “There was one thing that did feel good about it though.” Matt added.

“What?”

“Telling Sydney that there is a very beautiful blonde paramedic that I was _hopelessly_ in love with.” He said as she smiled at him. “Maybe a little on the nose for the moment but uh – I couldn’t really help myself. I kinda like telling people how much I love you.”

A deeply loving smile graced Sylvie's face. The way she looked at him always made him feel on top of the world. “I kind of like telling people too Captain.” Sylvie replied quietly,

“Oh, we’re back to formalities again, huh?” he questioned.

Sylvie nodded, “Well you _are_ a Captain – and it definitely suits you.”

Sylvie bit her lip, looking at him with a familiar hunger in her eye that caused a different kind of tension than jealous tension in Matt.

He cleared his throat, “We uh – we should get out of here.” He said in response.

 _“Yeah.”_ Sylvie agreed as they quickly left the table, dropped some money at the bar and went home to spend the evening getting completely lost in each other.

After all, Matt did have to make up for not calling her back last night.


	85. Like Mother Like Daughter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three moments from Sylvie and Annie's relationship. Set from Annie's early teenage years through to adulthood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! 
> 
> This is a slightly longer chapter than usual (I think) that explores Sylvie and Annie's bond through three incidences. One is set when Annie is around 14, another when she's 16 and another when she's in her thirties. 
> 
> There are a few brief mentions of some events from other chapters, namely chp 8 (Annie's birth) chp 21 (Annie's first heartbreak) and chp 53 (Jack and Elliot's birth) - so feel free to give those a read again if you're not sure about where some comments are coming from!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Like Mother Like Daughter**

**Part One - Smash Therapy**

“You guys are going to love her.” Jack said with a proud smile as he, his brother and his parents stood in the kitchen, preparing dinner. Jack’s new girlfriend Harper was coming around to meet Sylvie and Matt and Jack was nervous as _hell_. He just wanted everybody to like each other – and he knew they would. It was pretty much impossible not to get along with his family. They were always so warm and accommodating to anybody who walked through their doors.

“Honey, she sounds great and if you love her, I’m sure we’ll love her too. You don’t need to be so nervous.” Sylvie insisted with a little laugh. She and Matt had known of Harper’s parents. They’d come into Molly’s a few times and everyone knew them as the ‘hot shot lawyers’ who were always on hand to help the CFD when possible. As hot shot as Peter Stone and Ana Valdez were, Sylvie knew they were good people, and she didn’t doubt that Harper would be great as well. As wild as Jack could be sometimes, he always had good reads on people. Harper would be no different.

“Ok, yeah, ok.” Jack repeated in a bid to calm himself down.

Suddenly, the back door opened and almost immediately slammed as Annie came storming into the kitchen, a huge scowl on her face.

“Wow, who poked the bear?” Elliot teased.

“Shut up Elliot.” Annie snapped before sulking down on one of the stools and stealing a carrot or two that Matt was chopping up.

The four Caseys raised their eyebrows at Annie, observing her in silence. It was rare for Annie to be in such a foul mood, so they knew something big must have happened for her to be like this.

Annie stopped chewing mid bite when she realised her family were staring at her. “What?” she asked through her teeth.

“I may be off here Ann, but – you seem frustrated.” Matt observed sarcastically.

“And is my frustration _funny_ to you, dad?” she replied with a deep glare.

Matt’s mouth fell open a little before he turned to Sylvie, “Honey?”

Sylvie cleared her throat, taking her turn to approach Annie. “As unfunny as your dad is, sweetie, he’s right. You seem frustrated. _So_ frustrated that you decided to take it out on my good patio doors.” She said with an awkward laugh. She hated it when her kids were reckless with their house. It was her 4th baby, they’d put so much work into it – the _least_ they could do is close the doors _quietly_.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Annie replied before slipping off the stool and storming upstairs – the slamming of her bedroom door echoing through the house.

Sylvie sighed, “Yeah, we’re not going to do that today.” She announced resolutely before setting the salad she was tossing down. “Do you have the keys to Christie’s new place?” she asked Matt. Christie had been renovating a new house downtown and had trusted Matt to oversee the work. It was in it’s early stages, but it looked great so far. The perfect forever home as she neared retirement.

Matt felt around his pockets before lifting out the keys and throwing them to her, “What are you doing?” he asked curiously.

“Getting her to take out those frustrations on somewhere other than my doors.” Sylvie said before making her way upstairs. She lightly knocked on Annie’s door before walking in. “Get your boots on, we’re going out.”

“I thought we were having dinner with Harper?” Annie asked – not that she was in any mood for it, but it was important to Jack so it was important to her.

“We are, but we’ve got some time.” Sylvie replied. They’d only be gone for an hour tops and Harper would be here in two.

“Mom—”

“Not up for negotiation Annie, boots on, let’s go.” She said before leaving the room.

Although she didn’t know what was bothering Annie, she knew from her response to it what she needed – smash therapy.

* * *

A short while later, Sylvie had driven them to Christie’s place and let themselves in. They walked into Christie’s unfinished kitchen and looked around.

“This place is a dump.” Annie grumbled as she kicked some good beneath her feet.

“It won’t be for long.” Sylvie told her. “All of these cabinets are being replaced and that wall is coming down to create an open planned living and kitchen space.” Sylvie showed her. Christie had enlisted Sylvie’s help when she was envisioning what she wanted the space to look like, and Sylvie couldn’t have been _more_ willing to lend a hand.

Annie nodded, “that’ll look good. She should paint the walls white, make it feel brighter.” She loved an interior design magazine or TV show just as much as her mom did.

“That’s what I said.” Sylvie said with a proud smile. “Great minds”

Annie let out a light laugh, “Like mother like daughter.” They stood in silence for a few moments before Annie spoke up. “Why did you bring me here?”

“Sometimes, talking about whatever is bothering us doesn’t always help in the way we want it to.” Sylvie said as Annie nodded along, waiting for her mother to elaborate. “Sometimes – we just need a little bit of smash therapy.”

Sylvie walked over to the wall where Matt had left his construction equipment. She handed Annie a pair of gloves and a pair of goggles before lifting up a sledgehammer and holding it out to her.

“These cabinets have got to go. You’ll be doing your dad a favour.” Sylvie said.

Annie held back from taking the hammer for a moment. She never thought that a little bit of aggression would be the answer to her problems here. But then again – while it couldn’t fix her problem, it was an opportunity to release some pent-up frustrations.

Annie shot Sylvie one more look of uncertainty before taking the hammer from her. She walked over to the cabinets, lifted the hammer and angrily smashed through them. Sylvie jumped a little. She knew it was going to be messy but she didn’t expect Annie to go at them with such aggression.

“I’m just sick” Annie began, as she rhythmically smashed through the cabinets as she punctuated her words “Of _people_ taking _advantage_ of my _inability_ to see the _bad_ in people.” She revealed.

Sylvie nodded. It was a feeling she knew all too well. While her friends and family loved that she always saw the good in people, there were some people who took advantage of her good nature and ended up hurting Sylvie. She knew Annie was the same. She knew her heart searched and clung onto goodness, but it was evident that the downside of that was catching up to her.

“Did something happen with your friends?” Sylvie asked as Annie smashed another cabinet before letting out a deep breath and turning back to look at her mom.

“It’s Keira.” Annie finally revealed. Keira and Annie had been friends for a few years now, but as they entered their teenage years, the cracks in the friendship began to show. “People have been warning me for months that she’s being saying really horrible things about me behind my back and I didn’t listen. Keira said it wasn’t true and I trusted her but – I heard her say those things with my own ears today.” She finished with a gulp. “Just stupid stuff like I wasn’t smart enough or pretty enough or fun enough for people to actually like. That everyone was my friend out of pity.”

Sylvie narrowed her eyes and clenched her jaw. Annie was right – it was stupid. She was a very beautiful and bright girl and she had so many people in her life who knew that and who loved her for the wonderful girl that she was.

“Annie, that’s not true.” Sylvie said pointedly. “From my experience, people who say stuff like that are incredibly insecure in themselves, so they feel the need to bring down someone they admire so they don’t feel so bad.”

Annie nodded and looked at her feet, “I know it’s not true. I mean, it still kind of hurts, but it bothers me more that I trusted her and it came back to bite me. I feel like an idiot. There’s just something _infuriating_ about my inability to see the badness in people.”

“I think it’s better to see the best in people rather than the bad.” Sylvie advised. She’d spent a lot of time in her life thinking about this quality in herself, and as she grew older, she’d come to the conclusion that it was a better way to be. There was a lot more good in this world than bad and she would always be determined to find it.

“It’s not better when it blinds you to the truth.” Annie mumbled as she took another swing at the cabinets before setting the sledgehammer down. “I’m sorry, I know this is a quality I inherited from you and I don’t want you to feel bad about it—” Annie quickly apologised.

Sylvie shook her head, “No, I’ve battled with this myself before. It’s easy to feel naïve when people betray your trust, but that’s on _them_. That was _their_ choice to abuse your friendship. Keira is the one coming out of this having lost something really valuable. And you can see the good in people but also be discerning. You’re not a pushover, you know right from wrong. Are you always going to make the right judgement? Probably not.” She said with a little laugh. She’d certainly made some bad judgements in her life – the married doctor springing to mind immediately. “But if you can walk away from those situations knowing that you gave somebody a piece of your goodness? I think that’s something to be proud of.”

Annie nodded her head at her mom’s wise words. “It might take me a while to accept that I could be proud of this.”

“That’s ok. You know, there are a lot of people who really admire our ability to always see the good in people. Your dad says it’s one of the things he loves most about me.” Sylvie boasted with a proud smile.

Annie grinned, “Dad loves _everything_ about you.”

“Not true. He hates my fish tacos.”

Annie laughed, “ _Everyone_ hates your fish tacos, mom. No offence.”

“… offence taken.” She jokingly teased as Annie laughed some more. It was nice seeing her daughter’s bright smile again.

“You were right. Smashing these cabinets did help – but I think talking to my mom helped a little more.” Annie confessed. She’d never really fully understood her constant optimism about her life and the people in it, but she should have realised that the person she inherited those qualities from would be on hand to help. Her mom had always given her the best advice, and that would never change. “I’m sorry for slamming the back door.” She apologised.

“It’s not the first time there’s been door slamming in our house and I doubt it will be the last.” Sylvie replied with a grimace. If the door stayed on its hinges, they wouldn’t have a real problem. “Come on, we’ve gotta get home to meet Harper.” Sylvie said as she wrapped her arm around her daughter’s shoulders.

Annie sniggered, “I can’t believe Jack has a nice girlfriend. Everyone in their class is already taking bets on how long it will take him to screw it up.”

Sylvie’s face fell, “That’s so mean. Jack’s got this. There’s no way he’ll screw this one up.”

Years later, Sylvie looked back on that moment with Annie and couldn’t help but laugh. They’d just talked about misjudging situations because they always hoped for the best – and then she’d completely misjudged the Jack and Harper situation.

Well, partly misjudged. When Jack got that second chance, he did not screw it up. Not even in the slightest.

* * *

**Part Two - Drunken Mistakes**

Sylvie trudged downstairs at 3am with a pounding headache. She’d been struggling to sleep for the past few nights, and it was catching up to her. There wasn’t any real reason for it – other than the fact that Matt wasn’t there. He had been attending a firefighter's conference in New York for the past few days and was due home in the early hours of the morning. As usual, Sylvie missed him terribly when he was gone. She was so used to having him beside her as they slept that there was something horribly unsettling about him not being there.

As Sylvie approached the entrance to the kitchen, she heard the backdoor rattle and open, alongside two voices interchanging between giggling and hushing. She held back for a second, wondering what was going on – before she recognised the giggles as her daughter’s giggles.

She flicked on the kitchen light and Annie froze in her steps, her eyes wide and her arm thrown over Robbie Halstead’s shoulder as he tried to keep her steady.

 _“Mommy! Hi!_ ” Annie greeted happily, followed by a hiccup.

 _“Hi”_ Sylvie replied bluntly as she crossed her arms over her chest and observed her daughter. It was 3am – where the _hell_ had she been? Her curfew was at midnight at the weekend and it was pretty clear by her chipper demeanour, her hiccupping and the fact that she was so unsteady on her feet that she was drunk.

“You’re drunk.” Sylvie said matter of factly.

“Um…” Annie said as she pouted her lips and narrowed her eyes. “A little bit yeah. But I’m _totally_ fine, see” she said as she held out her finger and then expertly brought it to her nose. “ _Totally_ cool.”

Sylvie scoffed, “Clearly.”

“Um, we were at a party.” Robbie interrupted. “A bit of a _tense_ party, so Annie had a few drinks, I was just bringing her home.” He explained.

“I appreciate it Robbie, thank you.” Sylvie said as she walked forward and took Annie from him, holding her daughter up before she tripped over. Annie smiled and wrapped her arms snuggly around Sylvie’s neck.

“Mommy. I just love you.” She said as she squished her cheek against Sylvie’s.

“I love you too honey, let’s get you to bed.” She said as she nodded a silent thank you to Robbie who sent her a tight-lipped smile before slipping out the back door.

Sylvie brought Annie upstairs and safely deposited her in her bed before throwing her a pair of fresh pyjamas.

“Put your pyjamas on, I’ll get you some water.” Sylvie said as Annie mock saluted her as she went into the bathroom across the hall, grabbed some water and aspirin for the morning. When she got back, Annie had managed to get into her pyjamas and was sitting on the edge of the bed, kicking her legs beneath her. At least she was a _happy_ drunk...

“So…” Sylvie began as she set the water on her beside table. “You want to tell me why you thought it would be a good idea to get drunk tonight?” she asked. Aside from being totally reckless and irresponsible for a 16-year-old, it was _very_ out of character. Annie was normally miss sensible, so this felt a little unnerving.

Annie scrunched up her nose, “It was the first time I’ve seen Austin since the breakup and it was just a little stressful, so I had a drink… and then another and maybe _one_ more after that – but it turns out I’m a little bit of a lightweight.”

Sylvie couldn’t help but smirk as she mumbled, “Like mother like daughter.”

Annie’s eyes suddenly widened as she looked up at Sylvie; “Don’t tell dad, he’ll be _so_ mad.” Annie said with a little whine. Matt was always harping on about the dangers of irresponsible, illegal drinking, so she knew this wouldn’t go down too well. Annie’s face suddenly softened, “But he’s the best dad _ever_. I really love him. Do you think he knows that?” she asked as she stood from the bed and started to stumble towards the door. “Maybe I should go tell him and hug him and tell him I’m sorry _now_ —”

“No, no” Sylvie said as she gently pushed Annie onto her vanity stool. “You should stay right here and get some rest. You’re going to have a killer headache in the morning.” She said as Annie smiled at her through the mirror. It seemed she had forgotten that Matt wasn’t even here.

“And this is why _you_ are the best _mom_ ever.” She said with a little giggle as Sylvie lifted Annie’s hairbrush and started pulling it through her daughter’s blonde locks. “You keep me healthy and stop me from doing stupid stuff. Though I _did_ do something stupid tonight… but you are not judging me. See? The _best!”_ she rambled.

“Oh, your ass is grounded starting tomorrow, but let’s focus on getting you sober first.” Sylvie made clear – not that Annie was going to remember any of this in the morning. Annie pouted her bottom lip as Sylvie pulled her hair into a low ponytail, securing it with a scrunchie.

“Now that is the paramedic in you talking.” Annie replied with a giggle. Sylvie turned Annie around in her stool and took a face wipe to clean off her make up. Despite the circumstances, there was something Sylvie secretly loved about this. Or maybe, she just felt nostalgic for it. Gone were the days that she brushed her daughter’s hair and helped her clean up and got her ready for bed.

“No. It’s all the mom in me talking. The mom who didn’t like that her daughter was so sad she felt she had to _drink_ that sadness away.” Sylvie confessed.

Annie suddenly felt a lot sober at her mom’s words. She knew it was reckless and she knew it wasn’t the best way to deal with her emotions, but she reacted in the moment and here she was.

“That being said” Sylvie began again as Annie kept her attention on her mom as she threw the makeup wipe into the bin. “I’ve also indulged in some ‘sad drinking’ in my life – though I wasn’t _sixteen_ when I did it. It’s a scary thought to think you’re growing up before you’re ready.”

“I think the headache I’m going to have in the morning will remind me to _never_ do this again. _Trust me_.” Annie told her honestly. Being caught out by her mom would probably also serve as a reminder. “Austin, he just – he was flirting with other girls and he has every right to do that, it just – it hit me a lot harder than I thought it would.”

Sylvie nodded, “It’s never easy seeing someone you loved move on. But, like dad and I told you the night you guys broke up – the heartache won’t last forever, and you are just one step closer to a happiness you’ll never be able to come down from.”

“First loves are special, but last loves are priceless.” Annie said, repeating Matt’s words to her from that night. “Like what you have with dad.”

Sylvie smiled and nodded, “Yeah, like what I have with dad.” Matt Casey’s love was certainly a love she never wanted to come down from. “So – no more numbing the pain. You’ve got to feel it Ann. Otherwise you’ll never learn from it.”

Annie nodded head as Sylvie wiped away a stray tear from her daughter’s cheek. “Will you remind me of this in the morning? I’m not sure I’m going to remember.”

Sylvie chuckled, “Yeah. I’ll remind you.”

Sylvie tucked Annie into bed, making sure she had a bin by her bed in case of a vomiting emergency. She still didn’t sleep very well for the rest of the night. It wasn’t until Matt came home at around 5.30am and curled up into bed beside her that she finally conked out.

It was safe to say that last loves were well and truly priceless.

* * *

**Part Three - Grams and Pops**

It was 1am and Annie couldn’t sleep. She was horribly uncomfortable. She was tossing around her bed, stretching out her limbs, throwing a pillow under her protruding belly – but nothing. Nothing was working. She was doomed to sleepless nights for the rest of her life.

Well, for the next 18 years anyway.

She slipped out of bed, pulled some joggers and trainers on before sneaking out of the house and driving the familiar road to her childhood home. She loved this house. It held so many special memories. In a little over a month, she would become a mother and she couldn’t wait to have special memories with her baby in this house too.

She walked around the side of the house and towards the backdoor, slipping her key into it and walking into the kitchen. She sneaked through these kitchen doors more times than her parents knew (or _claimed_ to know anyway). There was that one time that Sylvie caught her out after she came home drunk. She really hadn’t handled her first heartbreak all that well, but she certainly learnt a lesson from it.

She opened the freezer and lifted out a tub of her mother’s homemade vanilla ice cream. She _loved_ that stuff. She’d sent Robbie over here countless times to pick some up when her cravings demanded it. Sylvie had caught on to how much Annie enjoyed it through her pregnancy and made sure her daughter had a regular supply.

Annie slipped into one of the island stools, her baby bump knocking her balance off slightly, so it was done with very little grace. As she started digging into the ice cream, she heard some light footsteps in the hallway, and soon enough Sylvie appeared in the kitchen.

“Hey. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.” Annie apologised immediately.

“I wasn’t asleep, don’t worry.” Sylvie told her as she slipped into the stool beside her.

“You ok?”

“Oh, yeah, your dad just has a cold so his snoring is unbearable right now.” She said with a little laugh before lifting a spoon and joining Annie in eating the ice cream.

“It’s a big house with plenty of other beds.” Annie suggested, but she knew what her mom’s answer would be. Even when asleep, Matt Casey and Sylvie Brett couldn’t be without each other.

“If I moved beds I _definitely_ wouldn’t sleep. I’ll drift off eventually with his snoring, but I can’t sleep at _all_ without him.” She said with a soft smile.

Annie smiled back and nodded, “Of course.”

“What about you? You feeling ok?” Sylvie asked quickly.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Just struggling to sleep lately, can’t really get comfortable so I fancied some home comforts. Thought it might help.” Annie explained. There was nothing like home to make you feel that little bit better.

“Hm, like mother like daughter, sleeping was a _nightmare_ for me towards the end of my pregnancies. You won’t know what’s hit you when that baby comes out and you can finally sink into your mattress.” Sylvie encouraged.

Annie’s face fell a little as she sighed, “Will I though? I feel like I won’t be getting much sleep for the next 18 years. Probably longer. When they’re a baby you’re up feeding them every few hours and when they’re a teenager you lie awake at night worrying that they won’t get home safe.” She had plenty of worries about being a mother. This was just scratching the surface, but from the look on Sylvie’s face – she knew that. She knew all about the worries and fears of motherhood and she was ready to assure her daughter in whatever way she could.

“I mean – yeah, there’s a certain amount of worry that comes with being a parent. Especially a first-time parent. I remember just after Jack and Elliot were born, I was looking down at them in their cribs and I just _burst_ into tears.” She said with a little laugh. “I was just so tired and I didn’t know how to be a parent to one baby let alone two and my heart was just so full of love for them that I didn’t want to let them down.”

“Jack and Elliot _adore_ you.” Annie said, chuckling at the thought of her brothers being totally momma’s boys. “Seriously, any time anything good or bad happens in their lives they’re straight on the phone to mommy.” She teased. She couldn’t really talk though – she was the exact same.

“Momma’s boys through and through” Sylvie teased proudly. “And then just before you were born, I panicked that I wouldn’t be able to spread my love far enough to three kids.”

“Trust me, we feel your love everyday. We always have.”

“And that’s how your baby is going to feel about you.” Sylvie quickly added. “Whether you realise it or not.”

“How did you get past that initial fear?” Annie asked. Her head could comprehend that her baby would feel an abundance of love, but her heart was still pounding against her chest and the fear still felt real.

“Your dad.” Sylvie said simply. “He was always there. He was a constant reminder that I wasn’t in this alone. That we were going to make mistakes, but we’d make them together. That we had an abundance of love to give and our children would never lack in it. I know Robbie will be the exact same for you. You guys have been a pair since you were little – that’s never going to change.”

Annie nodded knowingly. Robbie was her greatest friend and her deepest love and becoming parents together was a real gift.

“Yeah. We’ll be ok. Maybe if I had a decent night’s sleep, I’d see that a little clearer.” Annie joked. “What about you?” she asked as Sylvie eyed her curiously. “You ready to become a grandma again?”

Jack and Harper had been the first to make Matt and Sylvie grandparents when they welcomed their daughter Ella into the world two years ago. Naturally, Matt and Sylvie spoiled the little girl rotten and she just _adored_ her grams and pops.

 _“More_ than ready.” Sylvie said with a confident nod. “It’s just one more little Casey to love.”

“Well, _this_ little Casey is very lucky to have you as a mom.” Annie said referring to herself. “And Ella and this baby are very lucky to have you as a nana too.”

The back door suddenly opened, and Robbie appeared, looking a little flushed and like he'd dashed here in a hurry.

“Hey, I got your text, you ok?” he asked, the worry evident on his face as he rushed towards Annie.

“Yeah, I just couldn’t sleep.” Annie said as Robbie quickly kissed her temple before eyeing up the ice cream that was sitting on the island.

“Nothing a little girl talk can’t fix.” Sylvie said with a wink as Annie beamed at her. She’d learnt that lesson pretty early on in life. Her mom always made everything better.

“Wow, thanks for inviting me to the party guys…” they heard a voice from the door say as they turned around and saw a grey haired Matt come into the room.

“Hi pops” Annie greeted affectionately.

“Hi honey. I would hug you, but this cold is kicking my ass, I don’t want you or the baby to get sick.” Matt apologised as he got himself a glass of water.

“Your cold is kicking _my_ ass too, the snoring has _got_ to stop…” Sylvie grumbled with a teasing glare.

“I’m sorry” he apologised sweetly before turning to Annie and Robbie. “You two ok?”

Annie nodded, “Yeah, all good. We were just heading out – and taking the ice-cream with us.” She said as Robbie helped her off the stool before Annie swiped the tub and walked towards the door. “I’ll call you tomorrow, I love you.” she promised as Sylvie and Matt waved to them.

“Love you too” they called after her.

Matt turned to Sylvie as soon as the door closed, “They ok?”

“Yeah, Annie was just a little freaked out about becoming a parent.” Sylvie explained.

“Well, she has a pretty good example to go by in own mom.” Matt complimented.

“She has two pretty good examples in _both_ her parents.” Sylvie replied instantly as she ran her hand over his cheek. The one thing that had never changed over the course of their relationship was their ability to turn a compliment round on the other person. They were constant support systems for each other and they valued it so dearly. “Come on pops, let’s get you to bed.” She said as she climbed off the stool and took his hand in hers. “You gotta beat that cold if you want to play with these grandbabies without collapsing.” She teased.

Sylvie could safely say that being a grandmother was one of the greatest joys she’d ever felt. From the moment Ella was born, she understood exactly why her mom had loved it so much. She understood that need to be overly protective and to spoil her grand kids rotten.

And she and Matt did spoil their grandkids rotten – all eight of them.


	86. Chief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sylvie helps Matt navigate a big life decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, how we all feeling after *that* sneak peek for 906? I'm excited! Looks like it's going to be an interesting episode...
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Matt stood by truck 81 looking at the goat that graced the side of it. People had always questioned why a goat had been chosen as their crest – and nobody had the answer. Matt liked to tell people that truck 81’s first ever fire was at a goat farm in Little Italy. It seemed like the most believable theory from the ones he had heard over the years.

Whatever the story was, that goat was a part of his truck company. The truck company he’d overseen for almost 20 years. It had seen a lot of members come and go, but Matt had been a constant, and he was proud of the work they had done. He never liked to say it because to him, this job wasn’t about pride, but right now felt like a moment in which he could say it. He was proud of the team that truck 81 was. He was proud of his work on it.

Which was why the thought of letting somebody else take charge of it was a hard one to bear.

He turned and walked back into the firehouse. He thought distracting himself with paperwork might help, but something told him it wouldn’t. This wasn’t something he wanted to brush over anyway. He opened the door to the bunk room and stopped in his treks when he saw Sylvie walking around looking under all of the beds.

“… did you lose something?” he asked as she shot upwards and put her hands on her hips.

“In a way… yes.” She replied cryptically. “How uh – how was your meeting with Boden?” she asked distractedly as she continued to search around the bunk room. Before he could answer, some familiar giggles radiated through the bunkroom as Sylvie’s eyes widened. She turned around in her spot, before hearing the pitter patter of feet towards the back of the room and catching a brief glimpse of bouncing blonde curls that darted into the locker room.

“ _Gotcha_.” Sylvie mumbled as she walked towards the locker room with a confused Matt on her tail. What on _earth_ was going on?

“Syl—”

 _“Shh!”_ she said, silencing him as they crept through the locker room and towards the showers. “It’s better to make it a surprise.”

“… make _what_ a surprise?” He whispered back as Sylvie started searching through each of the stalls. He stood back and watched her as she went, and just as she got to the end of the line, Matt saw a shower curtain on the other side ruffle slightly.

He walked forward and peered through the curtain, finding the sweetest blue eyes beaming up at him. He smiled, leaning his head against the tiles and giving the source of the earlier giggles a tiny wave that she happily returned.

Sylvie coped on to the fact that Matt had found Annie in one of the stalls and slowly walked towards him.

“Hey honey, have you seen Annie anywhere?” she joked.

Matt stood up straighter and shook his head, “Nope.”

“Huh” Sylvie replied as she put her hands on her hips. “She is just too _good_ at hide and seek… I guess we’ll have to just hope she turns up.” She said with a shrug as she and Matt pretended to leave the shower.

“Mommy, no, I here!” Annie exclaimed as she burst out of the shower and ran to Sylvie, grabbing onto her mom’s legs.

Sylvie laughed, “ _There_ you are!” she exclaimed excitedly as she bent down and kissed her daughter’s unruly curls. “You are the best hider in the _world_.”

Annie giggled as she pulled back from Sylvie and turned to Matt, holding her arms up to him allowing him to lift her up and hug her close.

“Hi daddy” she said as she rested her shoulder in the crook of his neck.

“Hi baby” he replied, resting his cheek against her hair and rubbing his hand up her back.

He may have been proud of what he’d achieved on truck 81, but _this_? This was the thing he was without a doubt proudest of. His kids were the greatest thing he’d ever done. And marrying Sylvie Brett had been the _wisest_ thing he’d ever done. He wasn’t convinced this kind of happiness existed until he fell in love with her.

“This is a nice surprise” He said as he turned to Sylvie, wondering why Annie had made an appearance at 51 during the day.

“Joanna had a family emergency.” Sylvie explained of their nanny as she smoothed out her three-year-old’s unruly curls while her head remained firmly on Matt’s shoulder. It was the most comforting place for her to be, no matter her mood. “Cindy is going to pick up the boys from school and swing by and get Annie until Christie can take them after work.” Sometimes their childcare system got a little complicated.

Matt nodded, “Well I think this is the perfect excuse for dad and Annie to make lunch for the firehouse today” he suggested as Annie nodded her head.

“Ok… but only if it’s hot dogs.” Annie told him.

Matt smirked, “We can have hot dogs, yeah. Why don’t you go tell Uncle Ritter and Uncle Gallo that you’re in charge of the kitchen today?”

“Ok!” she said excitedly as she wiggled out of Matt’s arms and dashed out of the room towards the lounge.

“You were telling me about your meeting with Boden before hide and seek took over” Sylvie said as she and Matt started to follow Annie. She may have been distracted, but she hadn’t forgotten what they were about to talk about it.

He remained quiet for a few moments before deciding to share what he’d just been told. It was pretty big and though he’d been told to keep it to himself, he needed someone to process it with and that person was his wife.

“Boden’s retiring.” He blurted out as Sylvie stopped in the middle of the bunk room and looked at him, her mouth slightly agape.

“You’re kidding. I – I was _not_ expecting that.” She mumbled as Matt turned to look at her.

“Yeah, me either.” He mumbled as he ran a hand through his hair.

“Is it weird that I kind of thought he’d be here forever?” she said with a little laugh.

Matt smiled, “Not at all.”

Sylvie sighed as they started to walk towards the lounge again, “I can’t imagine this place without Boden. I can’t imagine calling anybody else Chief.” Boden was the backbone of this house. He made it the family that it became, he made it the envy of half the houses in the city. He made it _home._ How could that _ever_ be replicated?

Matt stopped in his tracks again, a pensive look on his face as he looked down at his feet.

“What is it?” she asked, the concern covering her face.

“… they offered me the job. They want me to be Boden’s replacement.”

Sylvie’s mouth fell open _again_ before the corners of her mouth turned up. Of _course_ they would promote Matt and ask him to take over. Who better to take over than someone Boden had guided and trained for the past 20 years? Not only that, Matt himself was a born leader. This move felt so _right_.

“ _Matt_. That’s- that’s _amazing_.” She said as she walked forward and kissed him. She pulled back, her hands sliding from his neck to his shoulders. “How do you feel?” she asked eagerly. She knew the idea was probably eating at him a little bit.

“A little overwhelmed. I just – I feel like I’ve only just got to grips with being Captain, even if it has been ten years.” He explained with a little scoff. As usual, he was being self-deprecating. Within a few years, Matt had quickly become one of the most respected Captains in the CFD.

Sylvie frowned in concern. He really didn’t sound even _remotely_ excited about this. Responsibility had always weighed heavy on his shoulders, so she figured it made sense. “Do you not want it?” she asked curiously. She knew he was devoted to truck, but he also wasn’t getting any younger – maybe a change of pace wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

“It’s a pretty daunting thing to walk in Wallace Boden’s shadow. How could I ever match up to his leadership?” he questioned, as Sylvie finally understood his concerns. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to do it, it was that he wasn’t sure he could be good enough. She hated that Matt was always so hard on himself. She hated that he thought he could never do anything right. Since he was a kid, he’d been told that anything he did would never be good enough. That he was a disappointment – and it just wasn’t true. He’d done so much good in his life and she wished he could see it.

“Boden wouldn’t let just anybody take over from him. He knows you’re the best person for the job. You trained for the better part of your career under Boden, you know exactly how a house like this should be run. You won’t be walking in his shadow – you’ll be continuing to blaze the path he’s already set. And you, Captain, are _more_ than up to that task.” She encouraged.

Matt let out a breath, “I don’t know. It just – I don’t know.” He repeated. He couldn’t really find the words to explain how he was feeling right now. His thoughts just felt entirely muddled – like they often did when he was dealt some unexpected cards.

Sylvie moved her hands back up to his neck, lifting his head slightly and forcing him to look at her. Comparing himself to Boden wasn’t something he needed to do right now, and it certainly wasn’t going to make him feel better. He needed to know that what _he_ could bring to this job would make a difference in the community they served and would make sure that this firehouse was run the way it should be.

“You’re a good firefighter Matt, you’re a good leader – but you’re an even better man. And that’s what makes you the right person to be battalion chief. So, don’t lower your expectations for yourself. Because you have done so much _good_ in your life and this can be another thing to be proud of.”

Matt stared at her piercing blue eyes that matched their daughter’s. _God he loved her_. He could stare at her eyes all day and never get tired. He could listen to her talk about _nothing_ all day and never get tired. But right now – she was saying _everything_ he didn’t realise he needed to hear.

“How do you always know the right thing to say?” he asked curiously.

Sylvie smirked, “I learnt from the best.” She replied with a wink. They always had the words the other needed to hear and more than that, they were always _truthful_. They never stroked each other’s ego, they never lied to just make the other feel better. Their relationship was built on encouraging honesty that made them want to be a better spouse, parent, friend and individual.

“Did they say when they wanted a decision by?” Sylvie asked.

“They said to sleep on it, so a couple of days I guess.”

Sylvie nodded, “Ok, you’ve got some time. And if next shift rolls around and you don’t think it’s the position for you, that’s ok. I’m right here to talk all of this through and I will support you no matter what – but don’t make that decision based on the incorrect notion that you’re not capable of being an amazing chief.” She never wanted him to feel forced into a position because she thought he could do it. She wanted him to want it for himself and she would back his choice every step of the way.

 _“Daddy!”_ Annie’s voice echoed down the hallway before she got the bunk room door and peered at him through the glass. “You have to come make the hot dogs now!”

Matt nodded, “We’re coming.” He assured her as she nodded her head and ran back into the kitchen. “It’s probably a blessing in disguise having Annie here for the afternoon. She’ll stop me from getting too into my head about it.”

Sylvie laughed, “Oh yeah, she’ll keep you busy.”

* * *

Sylvie was right. Annie certainly kept Matt busy for the rest of the afternoon. Surprisingly, no calls came in for truck while Annie was there, so Matt put his paperwork to one side and sat on the couch with his daughter in his lap all afternoon. They were in a little bubble and nobody tried to talk to them or get in the way. They just sat there, reading, watching cartoons, talking nonsense. It was a welcomed breather from the daunting decision Matt had to make and Sylvie was also incredibly content just sitting back and watching them be together.

For the following two days, he did the exact same thing except with Jack and Elliot too. It was total _bliss_. Even when they were driving him a little crazy, his children had always been such a comfort to him. Their energy and joy for life was infectious, and he could never quite believe that they were a part of him.

While he was distracting himself from the big decision he had to make, he knew he couldn’t completely ignore it. The doubts were still on his mind, but there was also the fact that Boden wanted him to do it. Of everybody in the CFD, Boden requested _him_ to succeed him. There was also Sylvie’s constant encouragement and patience. She hadn’t pushed him to talk about it all weekend, but when he did want to talk about it, she was ready to listen.

Jack, Elliot, and Annie had played a role in the process too – though he didn’t realise it until he was putting them to bed that Sunday evening. He was walking down the upstairs landing looking in on them to make sure they were ok before he went back downstairs. He was standing at the door of Elliot and Jack’s room, watching as their little chests puffed up and down steadily as they slept, looking as precious and pure as the day they were born – and that’s when it hit him.

He made his way downstairs and found Sylvie lounging on the couch, a book in her hand and a blanket over her legs. She looked up at him and smiled and was about to ask how getting the kids into bed went. But before she could, Matt held out his hand to her.

“Come here” he said quietly.

Sylvie raised an eyebrow, “Why?”

“Dance with me.”

Sylvie narrowed her eyes and threw the blanket off her legs; “You hate dancing.” She reminded him as she walked towards him.

He smiled at her and took her in his arms their heads resting gently beside each other’s; “Not with you I don’t.” He really _did_ hate dancing, but this wasn’t really about the dancing, it was more about holding his wife in his arms and doing something _she_ loved doing.

They gently swayed in the room, Matt humming delicately in her ear and causing the biggest grin on her face. Not many people knew that Matt loved singing around the house. It was a habit he’d picked up from Sylvie and it truly made her smile. She always associated it with him being happy.

Matt pulled his head back to look at her but kept a firm arm around her waist and their hands close to his chest.

“I was thinking about what you said the other day about doing good in my life and doing things that I’m proud of.” He began as Sylvie lightly nodded. “It took me a long time to be truly proud of anything I’d done in life. The problems I’d encountered always seemed to cast a shadow over anything good. I never felt like I was _enough_.” He confessed with a gulp as Sylvie’s slender fingers gently ran along his neck.

“And then you came into my life and you shone so brightly that there could never be anymore shadows.” He said as his sadness quickly turned to a joy that just radiated from his entire body. “And I was truly proud that I could say, with no strings attached and with no doubts, that I was your husband, and you were my wife and that we made three smart, bold, brave, determined, sweet, loving babies that I still can’t quite believe are ours.” He said with a little laugh. “I’m proud of my job, I’m proud of my service to the CFD, but you? This family? I couldn’t prouder of anything else.” Spending the day with his children and watching them sleep so peacefully in a home that would always be a place of love and warmth to them had made him realise that. This was as good as his life could get and he was one lucky man.

“And that’s why I’m going to take over from Boden.” He revealed as Sylvie’s face lit up, biting her lip to stop her from squealing with pride as his decision. She wanted to let him finish, but she also just wanted to hug him and kiss him and tell him _just_ how proud she was of him. “I was afraid that I was going to fail, I was afraid of not being proud of what I could do as chief, – but I know I’m not going to be a perfect chief. I know I’m going to make mistakes along the way. But I know that no matter what, I’m coming home to something I will _always_ be proud of. Something I will always cherish. Anything else I do in life is a bonus of top of us.”

Sylvie’s eyes filled with tears as she let out a breath before excitedly kissing down Matt’s cheek and then squishing him in a tight hug.

“I’m so proud of _you_ Matt Casey” Sylvie whispered into his ear. “Always have been, always will be. You’re going to be a _great_ chief.”

Matt smiled against her ear, “I promise to remember that you’re chief of this house though…”

Sylvie laughed, pulling back so she could look at him; “I think Annie’s gunning for that title, especially after you let her have that third scoop of ice cream tonight.”

“Well, when the Chief asks for something, you have to obey” he reasoned. “There’s a chain of command.”

“God help us if Annie is at the top.” She said as they both started to laugh. “I’m glad 51 is staying in the family. I’m glad it’s still going to feel like home.”

“Always.” Matt promised before kissing her tenderly.

It wasn’t going to be easy, he knew that, but he had the _best_ people by his side to get him through – and he was ready for the adventure to start.


	87. The Most Beautiful Thing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 9x06 as if it was written in an established Brettsey world.
> 
> Stella and Sylvie get a little tipsy, Matt has a professional problem with Gallo and Matt and Sylvie learn an important lesson from Stella and Severide.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Spinning season 9 episodes into this story has been so fun... I'm just a sucker for established, fluffy Brettsey in fics!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this twist on 9x06 (with a mention of the events of 9x05 in it too).

** The Most Beautiful Thing  **

It was early Friday night and life seemed oddly quiet to Matt. In fact, the past few _weeks_ had felt oddly quiet. He couldn’t quite put his finger on what was different, but it was an unsettling quietness. He’d gone to Molly’s that night for a drink and when he got there, the only person around was Severide – and he was in a _foul_ mood. He just looked so lost and Matt knew it had something to do with Stella. She and Sylvie were having a girl’s night tonight at their apartment and Severide was getting into his head about _something_.

Before Matt decided that Molly’s was a bust and went home, he’d asked Severide if he was ok, but he didn’t get much of a response. Matt accepted it. Severide could handle himself and when he was ready to talk, he would talk. He just hoped he didn’t dig himself so deep into this hole he’d created with Stella that he couldn’t come back from it.

He opened the front door of his and Sylvie’s apartment and was immediately met with fits of giggles coming from the couch. He smiled as he shrugged his jacket off, seeing Sylvie and Stella laughing hysterically and a finished wine bottle sitting on the coffee table.

“Hey” he greeted with an amused grin.

Sylvie’s head shot up and she beamed brightly at him as she hopped off the couch and walked towards him, “Hey you!” she greeted excitedly as she quickly kissed him, her giggling continuing immediately afterwards. Matt couldn’t help but find tipsy Sylvie _unbearably_ cute. “How was your night?” she asked.

Matt shrugged, “Fine. Sounds like the better party was here…” he said as Stella waved from the couch before taking a big gulp of her wine.

“Oh, we just had a _little bit_ of wine, Stella needed it.” Sylvie said as she scrunched up her nose. “By the way – since you and Severide are _BFFs,_ you can tell him that he better have one _hell_ of a reason for treating _my_ BFF like he has.” She said resolutely as Stella ‘um hummed’ from the couch. “I mean, I love Severide, he’s a good guy--” Sylvie quickly added – even when drunk and angry on her best friend’s behalf she still tried to point out the good in Severide. “--and he’s really changed over the years, but _THIS?_ Too far Matthew. _Too far.”_ She said as she poked his chest.

Matt’s brow’s lowered and his mouth fell open lightly, “… I’ll be sure to pass on the message.”

Sylvie grinned and giggled, “Good. You look cute tonight.” she said, switching tones as she leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss. “You _always_ look cute. Especially when you’re giving me that solemn Matt Casey look. I _love_ that look.”

Matt smiled and shook his head, “I forgot how much of a flirty drunk you are.”

Sylvie leaned forward slightly, “better than a sad drunk” she whispered loudly before motioning back to Stella.

“I can hear you!” her best friend called incredulously as Sylvie pouted. “And this is _not_ the wine talking this is a _pissed off_ Stella Kidd talking.”

“Maybe you should go talk to Severide, see what’s going on?” Matt suggested as Sylvie and Stella both rolled their eyes. _Men_. Did Matt _really_ think she hadn’t tried? If _only_ it were that simple!

“Here is another message for Severide.” Sylvie said as she crossed her arms over her chest. “If he wants to talk, he can pick up the phone, because Stella is _not_ going to come running to him when she has done _nothing_ but be her _wonderful_ self.”

Matt’s mouth fell open again, “… I’ll be sure to pass on that message too.”

 _“OH_ , by the way” Sylvie began as she pulled Matt into the kitchen and out of Stella’s earshot, “Is it ok if Stella stays with us for a while?”

Matt frowned. He knew Stella and Severide weren’t talking but he didn’t realise it was at the moving out stage. “Are things really that bad?” He asked as he got Sylvie a drink of water in an attempt to save her from a killer headache in the morning.

Sylvie shrugged, “I don’t know Matt, you tell me, you’re his bestie.”

Matt shook his head, “He hasn’t wanted to talk about it, and I haven’t pushed it… and guys don’t really use the word _bestie_ \--”

“You should it’s cute, but that’s besides the point.” She said as she waved her hand in front of them. “Stella is _my_ bestie, and she needs me right now so she’s staying.”  
  
Matt nodded, “That’s cool with me.”

“Don’t worry Casey” Stella said as she stood up from the couch, “You won’t even notice I’m here”

_Whack._

Stella flung her arm out and knocked a picture off the living room console, causing the glass in the frame to smash.

“… from _now_ you won’t even notice I’m here.” She changed.

“Why don’t you two get back to whatever you were watching and laughing at and I’ll clean this up.” Matt suggested as he walked over to the cupboard and lifted out a pan and brush.

“Yes, Captain” Stella joked with a mock salute as Sylvie giggled.

“Cause you’re _actually_ a Captain!” Sylvie explained as Matt’s eyes widened and he nodded.

This was going to be a _long_ night – and shift tomorrow was going to be even longer.

* * *

Matt was right. Shift _had_ felt long. They were only a quarter of the way through it too. They’d attended to an explosion at a gas station just before breakfast that required them to rescue a baby trapped in a car. Thankfully, the little boy was ok – but Matt’s problems were only beginning. He’d given Gallo clear instructions and he hadn’t followed them because he saw another victim and moved to rescue her. From what Matt understood, he’d dived under the collapsed structure to shield her from a fireball.

Admittedly, it was a good save, but that wasn’t the problem. When Matt tried to have a conversation with him about it, Gallo argued back, barely giving Matt a chance to express himself. He was _this_ close to sending him home, but instead, he sent him to clear out the drains and run some sprint drills to clear his head. Then, maybe they could try and talk about it again later.

He walked into the lounge later that afternoon and spotted Sylvie by the coffee machine, looking pretty dead to the world. The wine she and Stella had consumed last night appeared to be coming back to bite her in the ass.

“Hey” he greeted as he lifted a mug to get himself some coffee, just as Sylvie screwed up her face at hers.

“Hi… someone put something nutty in the coffee so I wouldn’t touch it. Maybe make a fresh pot.” She advised, knowing how much Matt hated nutty coffee.

Matt scoffed, “It’s worse than you think. Capp has been brewing up southern pecan.”

“Oh _god_ …” Sylvie grumbled as Matt took a cup anyway and they walked out of the lounge and towards the bunk room.

“How’s the headache?” he asked with a teasing smirk.

Sylvie glared, “Fine. A little better. I don’t remember much from last night, but I remember we had fun and that’s what matters. Stella needed it.”

Matt chuckled as they reached his quarters and walked inside, “I’m glad the hangover was worth it.”

Sylvie sat down on Matt’s bed, leaning her back against the wall and stretching her legs out in front of her. “So… Gallo’s been running sprint drills for almost an hour now.”

Matt shrugged, sitting at his desk chair, “He needed to cool off. He disobeyed my orders, then argued back when I tried to talk to him about it. Until he’s ready to listen to why today was such a problem then he’s not riding on truck.”

“Right” Sylvie agreed – and she _did_ agree, but the one think Matt seemed to lack in this moment was self-awareness. “But… his Captain can be a bit of a cowboy too.” She cautiously suggested as she sipped her coffee, watching as Matt moved his chair to the end of the bed and waited for her to elaborate. “I’m just saying – he looks up to you and he’s learning from you and if he sees you jumping out of moving fire trucks and shooting fireballs into elevator shafts, he might get the idea that it’s ok to be that way.”

Sylvie had already had the _‘I know your job is risky, but please don’t do anything that forces someone to question whether you have a death wish’_ chat with Matt after the elevator incident. He and Severide had been bragging about the stunts they’d pulled over on that call, but for Sylvie, hearing _‘Casey, are you trying to get yourself killed?’_ over the radio, really wasn’t a nice thing for her to hear. She trusted him and she knew he took calculated and necessary risks, but it didn’t make the whole thing any less scary.

And now it was proving to be a perfect illustration.

“He’s responsible for his own actions.” Matt countered.

Sylvie nodded her head, “Yeah. But he’s still pretty fresh. He needs to be taught the difference between stupidity and taking a calculated risk. You learnt that somewhere along the way, he needs someone to guide him too.”

Matt sighed. He liked that Gallo was a quick thinker, but sometimes it could be to his detriment and he needed to know how to control it. “You’re right. He is responsible for his actions, and those actions fall back on me. I’m answerable for him if something goes wrong. He didn’t communicate to me what he was doing, if he had been hurt, I wouldn’t have known where he was.” Matt said with a gulp. “It’s just – it’s the _worst_ thing that can happen to an officer. Losing a firefighter.” He finished quietly as Sylvie lifted her hand to his neck comfortingly.

“I know.” She replied quietly. They’d spoken about Otis and Darden a few times. Mainly, they’d spoken about Matt’s guilt over it all. About how he could never be clear of their deaths. They knew that no matter what anybody said, it was always something Matt would have to work through. It would never be easy, but it was made easi _er_ by having someone as reassuring and supportive and comforting as Sylvie by his side. He knew that with her, he would never feel helpless.

“The best thing you can do for Gallo is to make sure he knows that his Captain is there to guide him and that _his_ safety is important too.” Sylvie advised as Matt looked down at his hands. “…and that arguing back will get him those awful sprint drills _every single time_.” She said with a smirk that caused Matt to let out a short, breathy laugh.

He lifted his head and looked at his girlfriend who had the softest, more assuring look on her face, “I think I let the power get to my head a little bit on that one.”

“You are very good at what you do Matt Casey. Don’t question yourself.” She said with a wink.

“Thanks” Matt mumbled as he took her hand from behind his neck and kissed it. “Any word from Stella on this whole Severide thing?”

 _“Nope”_ Sylvie said as she popped her p. “It’s just the _strangest_ thing in the world. He really hasn’t said _anything_ about it to you?”

Matt shook his head, “No, nothing. Keeps insisting he’s fine and it will all blow over.”

“Well until he gets his head out of his ass, we’re going to have a house guest. I hope that’s cool.” Sylvie said. There was no way she’s was leaving Stella on her own when she was so upset.

“They let me invade their space for years, it’s the last I can do.” Matt insisted. He really didn’t mind. He and Sylvie had always talked about building a home together that everybody felt welcome, safe and loved in. “Besides, I’ll get to see flirty, drunk Sylvie if you and Stella keep demolishing the wine, it’s highly entertaining” he said with a smirk as Sylvie’s mouth fell open.

“Are you making fun of me?”

“Just a little.” He said as she stood slightly from his chair and leaned over the end of the bed to kiss her.

Sylvie turned her face away just as the bells went off, calling for ambo. She hopped off the bed with a teasing grin on her face as Matt slumped back with a defeated groan.

“That’s what you get for teasing…” she said taunted triumphantly as she ran from the room.

* * *

Matt resolved the Gallo issue while Sylvie was out, and the following evening soon rolled round. Sylvie and Matt had been lounging at home with Stella when Severide unexpectedly showed up at the apartment. He looked pretty worked up about something and it was clear that whatever was going on between Stella and Severide was about to come to a head.

Matt was about to suggest that he and Sylvie go out, but Sylvie dragged him into their bedroom instead. She didn’t want to eavesdrop, but Stella would tell her happened anyway, so what was the harm sticking around to hear what happened? Besides, this was _their_ home! They had a right to be here!

“Can you hear what they’re saying? It sounds kind of muffled to me.” Sylvie said as she pressed her ear against the door.

“We shouldn’t be listening in…” Matt protested – though he _really_ wanted to know what was going on too.

Sylvie gave up trying to hear them and slid down the door, “At least we now know that sound doesn’t carry in this place.” She said as Matt came and sat beside her on the floor.

“Always looking for the silver lining, huh?” he asked with a smile.

“Somebody’s got to.” She replied as she tucked her knees up against her and leant her head back against the door. “Do you think they’ll be ok?” she asked quietly. She didn’t even want to think of a world without Stella and Severide together, but she was worried for her friends.

Matt nodded his head, “They love each other way too much to let this go.” He said confidently. He’d known Severide for a long time and he’d never seen him this happy – and Severide would say the same thing about Matt right now too. He’d never seen Matt smile like he did when he was with Sylvie.

“Hey.” Sylvie said as Matt turned to look at her, “I know we’re not always going to get things right with us. We’re going to fight, we’re going to drive each other crazy, we’re going to screw up… and I’m ok with that. That’s normal. That’s relationships.” She began as Matt listened intently. “What I wouldn’t be ok with is us brushing anything under the rug. Let’s always talk. No matter how painful and difficult it might be.” If there was a lesson to be learnt from what Stella and Severide were going through, this was it.

And Sylvie’s words were exactly why Matt loved her so much. She wanted a partnership, a _true_ partnership that was based on mutual support and respect and trust and communication. She wanted it, he wanted it and they _had_ it. Their foundation was so secure, and he would always be grateful for it.

“Ok…” he said as he rested his hand on top of Sylvie’s. “Then… there’s something we need to talk about.”

“What?” she asked urgently as she sat up straighter.

“You’ve _got_ to stop asking me to do anything productive before I’ve had my morning coffee.” He said with a straight face.

 _“What?!”_ she asked incredulously.

“Every morning you start asking me to do a bunch of stuff around the house or run some errands before I’ve even had time to _process_ that it’s morning.”

“Mornings are the best time of day Matt, we’re at our most thoughtful and productive.” She reasoned.

Matt shook his head, “Not without coffee and food first. I mean – it’s great that you’re a morning person, but—”

“Oh honey…” Sylvie said with a patronising smile. “I know you’re getting older and mornings aren’t really for you—”

Matt glared, “This has _nothing_ to do with age. I was just going to ask if you could give me a little time or just not get mad when I don’t respond as enthusiastically as you expect me too about fixing a cabinet door.”

“It must be hard waking up at your age and every morning feeling like you have a horrible hangover.” She teased as she patted his knee and stood up from the floor.

“Oh, that’s real cute...” He grumbled as he stood up and walked determinedly towards her. “Come ‘ere” he said as she turned around and he instantly scooped her up causing her to yelp slightly before she started to laugh, her legs wrapping around his waist rhythmically.

“Ok, ok!” she protested as he dropped them onto the bed, their bodies remaining securely connected. “An old guy wouldn’t be able to do that without busting their back out, you win” she exclaimed with a laugh as Matt chuckled against her jaw, trailing kisses down it.

“Brett— _oh.”_ They heard as the door opened and Stella appeared. “How many times are we going to have to find you two in this position?” she asked, remembering back to the day Stella and Severide discovered they were a couple.

“Hi Stella” Sylvie said as she pushed Matt off her and walked towards her friend. “Everything ok?” she said, suddenly remembering why they were even in here in the first place.

Stella gave her a soft smile, “I think so, yeah. Thanks for letting me crash, I promise to make it up to you guys soon.” She insisted as Matt walked over to them.

“Not necessary, you’re always welcome here.” Matt insisted as he put his hand on the crook of Sylvie’s shoulder.

“Thanks. I’m going to grab my stuff and head out, let you two get back to whatever it was you were doing…” she said with a wink as she nudged Sylvie and walked out of the room.

Matt looked down at Sylvie and smiled at her, “I like how happy you are in the mornings.” He told her as she turned to look at him. “Your smile always puts me in a good mood.” And that was the truth. Waking up to her smile was the best thing in the world.

“You sure it’s not the coffee?” she said with a teasing glare.

Matt chuckled, “Definitely not.”

“Ok… well I’ll keep the to-do list till later in the day.” She conceded as Matt nodded.

“Sounds like a fair deal.” He agreed as he kissed her temple before they went out into the living room to say goodbye to their friends.

The past few days had shown them both just how much they valued the relationship they’d built. They could talk each other through the big things, they could be goofy, they could bicker over the littlest things but always resolve them. It was the kind of relationship they’d wanted their whole lives but had never been able to achieve.

Though they wouldn’t exchange those years of longing for anything, because it led them right here and there was nobody else they could imagine spending the rest of their lives with.

Falling in love with your best friend truly was the most beautiful thing in the world.


	88. To Be Enough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A FP version of 907
> 
> Cruz has some news, Matt's feeling broody and Sylvie makes a confession about her past relationships.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Killing two birds with one stone in this chapter of FP because I managed to use two of the prompts I was sent - so we'll count this in the prompt section too!!
> 
> #6 - "Only you."  
> #7 - “(She/he/they) don’t compare to you. No one does.”

When Joe Cruz walked into the lounge of 51 that morning with a box of cigars in hand, everything appeared normal. Mouch was in his spot on the couch, Gallo was preparing breakfast, Casey and Brett were sitting beside each other at the long table, Casey reading the newspaper while Brett sipped her coffee and read his discarded pages. He was the only person that Sylvie knew who still read the paper – other than her father – and she couldn’t help but find his old man energy adorable.

Joe grinned and walked forward, throwing everybody a cigar as they all looked entirely confused by his actions.

“What’s the occasion?” Stella asked as she stood in the middle of the room. Joe merely grinned again before Stella’s face fell in realisation. “Is this—”

“Chloe’s pregnant!”

The room erupted in cheers at the news as Stella launched forward and hugged Joe, calling him papa Cruz. At the long table, Sylvie had clicked on to Joe’s news around the same time Stella had and she’d grabbed Matt’s hand and gave it an almighty squeeze in excitement, causing Matt to squirm in his seat and almost let out a yelp. She was deceptively strong. But once Joe had shared his news, he’d forgotten about the discomfort and all he felt was elation for his friend. He turned to look at Sylvie who had the biggest grin on her face.

Sylvie turned to say something to Matt but stopped when she saw the looked on his face. He looked pensive, but also totally mesmerised by her. She sometimes would just catch him staring at her like this, but _now_ seemed like an odd time. Shouldn't his focus be on Cruz?

“You ok?” she asked curiously.

Matt raised an eyebrow before blinking a few times, not even realising how deeply he had been staring at her. “What? Yeah, yeah, fine. Just – really happy for Cruz.”

Sylvie smiled brightly again, “I know isn’t it so exciting?! I’m going to have to call Chloe later and get the details on everything.” She said as she rested her chin in her hand. “They’re going to be the best parents, aren’t they?” she said dreamily as she watched everyone congratulate Cruz.

“Yeah, really good.” Matt agreed, a little absentmindedly as his gaze turned to complete wonderment again as he looked at her and let his mind run away with him. _You would make the best parent ever_ \- was what was really on his mind - but that was a nugget for another time. They'd talked about kids before, they knew they both wanted it, and a reminder of what their future could hold wasn't such a bad thing.

Sylvie stood from the table and walked over to Joe, engulfing her former roomie in a hug. Before much else could be said, the bells went off, calling all units to a fire. When they got there, they soon realised they were dealing with something sinister. A homeless shelter had caught fire and it didn’t take long for Casey and Severide to clock there was something suspicious and off about it.

Alongside that, an explosion had managed to knick both Cruz and Casey with some flying shrapnel. Cruz’s wound had been a little deeper than Matt’s, so in lieu of getting the victims of the fire to the hospital quickly, Matt decided he’d just get his cleaned out when he got back to the firehouse. Besides, asking Sylvie to clean his cut was always the perfect opportunity to flirt with her at work. When ambo pulled back into the apparatus floor, Matt was waiting, leaning against the truck with his hands in his pockets.

Sylvie jumped out of the ambo and frowned at him, “You’re getting yourself into an _annoying_ habit of cutting your face.” She grumbled, hearing Mackey chuckle slightly as she went into the house. Only a few weeks ago she’d bandaged a cut that he’d received after he was sent flying over the aerial ladder.

“It’s all an excuse to spend more time with you.” He joked as Sylvie opened the back doors and grabbed the jump bag.

“Well if that’s the case, you need to find a new method that doesn’t waste my supplies…” she teased.

 _“Ouch…”_ Matt said, faking offence as Sylvie started to clean his cut, causing him to wince slightly.

Matt looked down at his girlfriend. Even after 8 months together, having her in close proximity still managed to take his breath away and make him just a little bit nervous.

“Am I the first guy you’ve ever tried to charm while treating them?” he joked as Sylvie smirked and stuck her tongue against her cheek.

“No – but you’re the only one who gets sucked in so easily.” She said with a wink before lifted a few strips to cover his cut with. “You know, being a paramedic is all about being efficient. There’s no precision required, it’s about doing what you can to save a life in high pressure situations.” She said quietly. “But _sometimes_ … sometimes we get to focus on the smallest most intimate detail, making sure to give it _all_ the attention it deserves.” She explained, her voice low and sultry as her delicate fingers ghosted over Matt’s cut, placing the strips on it.

Matt gulped. He could feel her breath against his skin and the low tone of her voice was driving him crazy. She was an expert of knowing the exact things to say and do to reel him in.

“Essentially, we have the skills to take care of a patient’s _every last need_.” She finished. “Whether it’s something quick or something more… _delicate_. We’ve got a lot of skills.”

Sylvie dropped her hand from Matt’s face, but as soon as she did, Matt grabbed it and pulled her round the side of the ambulance and away from the doors. He positioned Sylvie against the side of the ambo, his hand resting above her shoulder, his other snaking around her back and pulling her flush against him.

“Captain Casey, we are at work.” Sylvie reminded him, but the devilish look in her eye suggested she didn’t mind one bit.

“That’s why it’s fun” he replied before swooping in and hungrily kissing her. In a matter of seconds Sylvie couldn’t have cared _less_ about where they were. He was the master of making her forget everything around her. His kisses made her dizzy, they took her breath away, they made the hairs on her arms stand on end. She knew she would never get enough of them.

He pulled away, leaving her in a bit of a daze as he placed lazy and slow kisses from the corner of her mouth all the way across her jaw. Sylvie melted into him, her arms wrapping around his shoulders as her breath became ragged.

“The way you kiss me – I have never been kissed like that before.” She whispered, barely managing to string together a sentence.

Matt grinned proudly against her skin, “That is a mistake I’m _more_ than willing to fix.”

“I guess I always thought I mustn’t have been all that kissable.” She confessed.

Matt’s head shot up as he looked solemnly at her, “What do you mean?”

Sylvie shrugged, “It’s not a big deal. I’ve just never had take your breath away kisses before, I just assumed I wasn’t, I don’t know... _sexy_ enough.”

Matt’s mouth fell open at her words, not knowing what to say. He had no idea that she felt this way about herself and it hurt like _hell_. She was so perfect – how could anybody make her feel like less than that?

“And considering my track record with men, those thoughts were solidified when my relationships ended.” She said with a scoff. “I guess I just wasn’t enough in general. I was fairly convinced I was cursed until you came along.”

Matt opened his mouth to protest her words, but before he could say anything, the bells went off calling for ambo and truck to tend to an accident in a cemetery nearby.

“Duty calls Captain” she said as she stole another quick kiss from him before jumping into the ambo.

It took Matt a few more seconds to respond, and as he walked towards the truck, he made a note that this conversation was far from over.

* * *

The call at the cemetery had been a horrible call in a multitude of ways. The victim’s arm had been trapped under a fallen gravestone, resulting in closed radial fracture. Truck quickly got the stone off him and as Brett and Mackey were walking him to the ambulance, they noticed something a little strange about the gravestones.

_Jingle Snaps. Always the first inside the clown car._

_“Oh geez…”_ she’d heard Matt grumble from beside her. She looked up at him and watched as he ran his hand over his beanie _. “I forgot what this place was…”_

Sylvie had then followed his eyeline, her stomach dropping at the sight of a crowd of clowns walking in their direction. What the hell was going on?! Before she could question it, Matt had comfortingly squeezed her shoulder before he herded the clowns in the opposite direction. He found it ridiculously charming that Sylvie could stare down the barrel of a gun, but the sight of a clown left her frozen in place.

As Sylvie was closing the back doors to the ambo, Matt had walked over with his hands shoved in his pockets.

 _“Probably should have warned you that this place was a clown cemetery…”_ he had regretfully said. Truthfully, his mind had been elsewhere, thinking firstly about the homeless shelter fire that he and Severide had been looking into and Sylvie’s words about not being enough.

 _“I can’t believe this place exists. As if cemeteries couldn’t get any creepier. But thanks for ushering them away, you’re my hero_.” She’d taunted as she teasingly rubbed his cheek with her thumb _._

“ _I’ll cook you dinner tomorrow night to make you feel better. I need to do some stuff with Severide beforehand but then I’m all yours.”_ Matt had promised.

Which was how they ended up here. After spending the day with Stella, she was greeted by the smell of Matt’s cooking when she walked into their apartment. She knew he was a good cook, but he rarely showcased it, so tonight felt very special indeed.

“Hi” she greeted as she walked up behind him, her arms wrapped around his waist and her cheek resting against his back while he stirred something on the hob. “How was your day?”

“Hi” he greeted happily as he lifted one of her hands and kissed is before resting it back against his stomach. “It was ok, Severide and I got to the bottom of the fire. Not exactly the nicest end to the story. It’s just sad that this guy thought his life was worth more than Big Jim’s.” he said sadly. He wished he could have done more to help these people, _especially_ Jim.

Sylvie placed a kiss against his spine, “You’re a good man Matt Casey. I’m proud of you for always going the extra mile. And it looks like you’re going the extra mile with dinner tonight.” She observed as she moved to his side to peer over the hob at what he was doing.

Matt smiled proudly, “I have a three-course meal coming up for you. We have your favourite halloumi stuffed peppers, my famous chicken parm and then for dessert - raspberry and blueberry lime drizzle cake.”

Sylvie moaned in pleasure at thought of each of their courses, “my favourite things. Am I the first girl you’ve tried to _charm_ by cooking a three-course meal?” she teased, remembering his question to her yesterday over his cut.

Matt shook his head, “Only you. I mean, I’ve cooked for a girl before, but you’re the first person I’ve ever done anything like _this_ for.” He told her. He'd always been a romantic person, but Sylvie brought his desire to be romantic to a whole new level.

“You are full of surprises.” She said quietly. “What’s the occasion anyway?” Not that they needed one to enjoy a nice meal together, but she could tell that there was a real purpose behind this for Matt.

“It’s two-fold” He confessed as he turned to face her and comfortingly rubbed his hands up her arms. “It’s a sorry that you had to deal with clowns dinner and…” he said, trailing off his sentence, wanting to find the right words for this moment. “I really hated hearing you say that you never felt like you were enough in your previous relationships. So this is a way of expressing to you how much I love you.” He said as he beamed down at her. “And an opportunity for me to remind you how brilliant you are, and how you’re so _unbelievably_ sexy…” Sylvie giggled as Matt’s hands teasingly drifted over her behind, just to emphasise his words. “And that no one compares to you. Nobody ever could.”

Sylvie felt some tears prickle in her eyes. She hadn’t taken her words to Matt all that seriously because it in no way reflected how she felt about _him_ , but apparently, he had. He was so attentive to her every need and emotion and it was impossible not to feel like she was enough when she was with him.

“You’re not cursed Sylvie, and your past relationships are important because they made you ready for _this_ relationship. For the _right_ relationship.”

Sylvie nodded, “You certainly are the right relationship Matt Casey. You were exactly who I was meant to find.”

Matt placed his hand on the back of her neck before bending down and kissing her sweetly. Even his softest kisses made her toes curl. It was a high she would never come down from.

“Thank you for this” she said as they pulled away. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

Matt shook his head, “Don’t worry about it, I’ve got it under control.” He insisted with a nod of certainty.

Sylvie giggled and pulled herself up to sit on the counter beside him, “I could get used to this treatment.”

Matt laughed, “Let’s wait till you actually taste everything, you might change your mind then.”

They fell into a comfortable silence for a few moments as Sylvie watched Matt carefully as he moved around the kitchen, checking that everything was as it should be. Her staring had reminded her of the staring he had been doing yesterday morning when Joe shared his news about the baby.

“So, yesterday…” Sylvie began cautiously and curiously.

“Yeah?” he asked, not really paying attention to anything other than his cake.

“When Cruz told us Chloe was pregnant, the look on your face…” she began, as Matt finally looked up at her. “You looked _broody_.” she hadn't said anything in that moment, but she knew exactly what was on his mind. 

Matt sent her a lopsided smirk, “I uh – I think I was a little.” He confessed. It was hard not to think about the possibility of having kids with Sylvie when Cruz was talking about it. His mind wandered and his heart started beating that little bit faster and he didn’t mind one bit.

“Me too” Sylvie said quietly. She didn’t want to freak Matt out by saying so, but it had been on her mind for the rest of the day. The thought of having blonde, blue eyed, furrow browed little Caseys in their lives excited her.

“We’ve talked about kids before, so yeah – it was nice being reminded of how joyful it will be when it happens for us.” He told her. There was absolutely no rush on it for either of them, but they certainly didn’t mind talking about it and eagerly anticipating their future.

Sylvie hopped off the counter and quickly kissed his cheek, “You’re going to be an amazing father.” She complimented before walking away to get some wine for their dinner.

Matt watched her as she hummed around the kitchen. Sylvie Brett was his family and she always would be – but the thoughts of their family expanding made his heart want to burst out of his chest. This life with her was enough and more.


End file.
